Creative music therapy in preterm infants effects cerebrovascular oxygenation and perfusion
November 15th, 2024
Zurich, Switzerland
Felix Scholkmann, Friederike Haslbeck, Emily Oba, Tanja Restin, Daniel Ostojic, Stefan Kleiser, Bartha C H Verbiest, Hamoon Zohdi, Ursula Wolf, Dirk Bassler, Hans Ulrich Bucher, Martin Wolf, Tanja Karen
This study investigated how creative music therapy (CMT) affects brain oxygenation and perfusion in preterm infants. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), the researchers found that CMT produced measurable changes in cerebrovascular oxygenation and physiology, highlighting the potential role of music therapy in supporting early brain development.
Scientific Reports
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-75282-8
Posted byGrace McKinstry
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Abstract/Description
Background: Preterm infants are at increased risk for neurodevelopmental difficulties and often spend their earliest weeks in noisy neonatal intensive care environments. Creative Music Therapy (CMT), a personalized and interactive music-based intervention involving live humming and singing, has previously been shown to support brain development in preterm infants. This study examined how the infant brain responds to CMT by measuring cerebrovascular oxygenation and perfusion.
Methods: Seventeen clinically stable preterm infants underwent CMT sessions while researchers measured oxygenation in the auditory and prefrontal cortices using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Sessions included therapist-guided touch, humming, and lullaby-style singing adapted to each infant’s behavioral state. Physiological measures including oxygen saturation, pulse rate, and cerebral oxygen extraction were also recorded.
Results: CMT produced measurable changes in cerebrovascular oxygenation, perfusion, and systemic physiology. Infants exhibited two distinct response patterns, with some showing increased cerebral oxygenation during singing and others showing decreases. Responses differed by sex, with positive oxygenation responses more common among female infants, and were associated with hematocrit levels. The findings demonstrate that music therapy can influence both brain and physiological functioning in preterm infants and that individual differences play an important role in these responses.
Conclusion: Creative Music Therapy elicits measurable neurophysiological responses in preterm infants and may contribute to early brain development through its effects on cerebrovascular oxygenation and perfusion. The study highlights the value of personalized music-based interventions in neonatal care and emphasizes the importance of considering individual response patterns when evaluating music therapy outcomes.
Methods: Seventeen clinically stable preterm infants underwent CMT sessions while researchers measured oxygenation in the auditory and prefrontal cortices using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Sessions included therapist-guided touch, humming, and lullaby-style singing adapted to each infant’s behavioral state. Physiological measures including oxygen saturation, pulse rate, and cerebral oxygen extraction were also recorded.
Results: CMT produced measurable changes in cerebrovascular oxygenation, perfusion, and systemic physiology. Infants exhibited two distinct response patterns, with some showing increased cerebral oxygenation during singing and others showing decreases. Responses differed by sex, with positive oxygenation responses more common among female infants, and were associated with hematocrit levels. The findings demonstrate that music therapy can influence both brain and physiological functioning in preterm infants and that individual differences play an important role in these responses.
Conclusion: Creative Music Therapy elicits measurable neurophysiological responses in preterm infants and may contribute to early brain development through its effects on cerebrovascular oxygenation and perfusion. The study highlights the value of personalized music-based interventions in neonatal care and emphasizes the importance of considering individual response patterns when evaluating music therapy outcomes.
