“Mozart effect” for Parkinson’s disease: music as medicine

Excerpt

Always on the lookout for scientific findings published in Neurological Sciences journal, one study in particular has garnered attention from us for showing results with important clinical implications. The study performed by De Bartolo and colleagues aimed at evaluating how different musical tracks can affect gait parameters in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) [1]. Briefly, the authors showed that music listening induced changes in a variety of spatiotemporal gait parameters and trunk range of motion. The study also showed that music-induced changes were dependent on the musical genre [1]. Although additional randomized controlled trials investigating the effectiveness of music listening on the motor function of patients with PD are needed, we applaud the efforts expended by the authors in pursuing this topic. Moreover, we would like to take this opportunity to raise the question of whether PD patients with cardiac abnormalities and thus at a higher risk of sudden unexpected death in Parkinson’s disease (SUDPAR) would benefit from music-based interventions. …