Prof. Dr. med. Rosch / Prof. Dr. med. Koeditz • Music & Brain Medical Perspective
Music and Speech
But let us come back once again to the cognitive areas of the brain, which are intimately connected with those of speech. How important the stimulation of the cerebral speech systems through music could become for medicine, we may estimate from the following case which is described by another pharmacist. She writes in her report:
Mr. S. had a stroke and fell into a coma. After regaining consciousness his ability to speak, his will and ability to communicate were at a very low level, and his motoric skills were strongly limited. Several months of intensive speech and physical therapy did not yield any meaningful results. Upon leaving the hospital after 4 months, the prognosis was bleak. For the rest of his life Mr S. would only be able to move by the help of his wheel chair, would probably never again be able to speak in an understandable manner, and would not be able to establish much contact with his surroundings.
His relatives were not willing to accept this diagnosis so Mr. S. continued in speech and physical therapy after he left the hospital. Still this did not generate much success worthy of mentioning.
A turn came with a neurologist’s advise to add to the logopaedic and physiotherapeutic treatments the treatment with MRT-Music®. This brought success soon. Mr S. started to make quick progress in his speech exercises and could speak almost normally again after 2 months. Also his physical therapy was rewarded with more success. After one year of MRT-Music® he could leave the wheel chair and walk alone with a walking aid. A few months later he even learned to swim again. After two years he was able to again participate in normal conversation.
Today the relatives regret very much not having heard about MRT-Music® earlier and they ask the question: “What in the brain would be different if Mr. S. would have been treated with MRT-Music® while in coma?”
What in these cases – which by the way are not singular – at first glance looks like a small wonder, is at least theoretically understandable:
if through music of natural harmonic order positive qualities of our feeling are addressed, joy of life and the will to live get strengthened;
since the cognitive systems and the systems of speech in the brain are activated through complex music of natural harmonic order, the patient exercising speaking receives a great help in his exercises;
and since the ear also contains the centre of the system of balance, also the muscle system is stimulated to natural activity by listening to music of natural harmonic order and the exercising of every movement is successfully supported.
If you like to look at the complete program,
if you like to listen to the Medical Music Preparation or
if you want to download it,
please click on the CD-cover above.
If you click on the title, it will lead you to the
scientific research.