Postmorbid Learning of Saxophone Playing in a Patient With Frontotemporal Dementia

Authors

H. Cho
J. Chin
M. K. Suh
H. J. Kim
Y. J. Kim
B. S. Ye
N. K. Lee
E. J. Kim
S. W. Seo
D. L. Na

Journal

Neurocase

Year

2015

Abstract

Some patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) show an artistic enhancement of musical abilities. However, no patients with FTD, to date, have been reported to be able to learn how to play a musical instrument after disease onset. Herein we describe a patient (J. K.) who had never played any musical instruments premorbidly, but who learned to play the saxophone after being diagnosed with a behavioral variant of FTD. He mastered a repertoire that consisted of 10 pieces of Korean folk songs over a period of three years. Furthermore, his saxophone skills were high enough to outperform other students in his class.

Music and Health Institute Terms

Alzheimer's and Related Dementias; Neurodegenerative Disorders; Playing an Instrument; Recreative Music Methods

Indexed Terms

Frontal Lobe; Frontotemporal Dementia; Learning; Motor Skills; Neuropsychological Tests; artistic talent; frontotemporal dementia; musical abilities; musical instrument; saxophone

Study Type

Case Study; Qualitative Methods

PubMed ID

25587661

Document Type

Article

Recommended Citation

Cho, H., Chin, J., Suh, M. K., Kim, H. J., Kim, Y. J., Ye, B. S., Lee, N. K., Kim, E. J., Seo, S. W., & Na, D. L. (2015). Postmorbid Learning of Saxophone Playing in a Patient With Frontotemporal Dementia. Neurocase, 21 (6), 767-772. Retrieved from https://remix.berklee.edu/mhi-citations/304