An Integrated Review of Music Cognition and Rhythmic Stimuli in Sensorimotor Neurocognition and Neurorehabilitation

Journal

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

Year

2023

Abstract

This work reviews the growing body of interdisciplinary research on music cognition, using biomechanical, kinesiological, clinical, psychosocial, and sociological methods. The review primarily examines the relationship between temporal elements in music and motor responses under varying contexts, with considerable relevance for clinical rehabilitation. After providing an overview of the terminology and approaches pertinent to theories of rhythm and meter from the musical-theoretical and cognitive fields, this review focuses on studies on the effects of rhythmic sensory stimulation on gait, rhythmic cues' effect on the motor system, reactions to rhythmic stimuli attempting to synchronize mobility (i.e., musical embodiment), and the application of rhythm for motor rehabilitation for individuals with Parkinson's disease, stroke, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, and other neurodegenerative or neurotraumatic diseases. This work ultimately bridges the gap between the musical-theoretical and cognitive science fields to facilitate innovative research in which each discipline informs the other.

Music and Health Institute Terms

Alzheimer's and Related Dementias; Gait; Mobility; Music and Cognition; Neurodegenerative Disorders; Parkinson's Disease; Recreative Music Methods; Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation; Rhythmic Sensory Stimulation; Stroke

Indexed Terms

Neurological Rehabilitation; Parkinson Disease; Acoustic Stimulation; Auditory Perception; Cognition; music cognition; music embodiment; psychology of music; rhythm and meter; rhythmic entrainment; rhythmic stimuli and gait; sensorimotor neurocognitive studies

Study Type

Integrative Review; Quantitative Methods

Document Type

Article

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