HEALING MINDS THROUGH MUSIC

In 2015, 11.6% of all recorded deaths in the world were caused by dementia (“Dementia Now Leading Cause of Death,” 2016). However, the progression of dementia can potentially be slowed down by providing mental stimulation through music enrichment programs. Two distinct forms of memory have been studied in dementia patients, semantic memory and episodic memory. Semantic memory of music was found to be largely preserved, while episodic memories underwent a significant decline (Tulving, 1972). At the cellular level, symptoms of dementia include altered levels of gray and white matter, decrease in overall volume of structures within the brain, formation of neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques, and a reduction in dopamine levels (Yang et al., 2010; Raz, 2005; Guo et al., 2016; Chui et al., 1984; Anderton, 1997; Cross et al., 1981). It was found that participation in music sessions lessened the severity of several of these processes. Thus, this research will explore how exposure to music can potentially increase memory retention, slow down neural atrophy, and as a result, have a likely effect on the progression of dementia.