Why Music Matters for Alzheimer's Patients

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Why Music Matters for Alzheimer's Patients

(Source: Findingdulcinea.com) - A new UC study shows that

memory, music and emotions all activate the same region of the brain,

which may have implications for Alzheimer's patients.

The idea that songs can evoke memories of people, places and moments

from our pasts is hardly news, but Petr Janata, associate professor

of psychology, has figured out why.

Janata found that as Alzheimer's progresses, an area of the brain

involved in feelings and perceptions remains intact longer, while

most other areas of the brain have deteriorated. When a song elicits

a memory, Janata explains, " [The] music serves as a soundtrack for a

mental movie that starts playing in our head. "

Studying songs and music popular during individuals' youthful years

of ages 7 to 19, Janata discovered that the most familiar songs were

more often linked to a memory.

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