Contrasting effects of music on reading comprehension in preadolescents with and without ADHD

Therapeutic use of music in neurological disorders: A concise narrative review

Background

Music elicits multifactorial benefits in emotional, social, cognitive, and academic aspects of human life. Music is clinically proven to reduce stress and anxiety, and improve mood and self-expression, particularly after traumatic events. Studies have also demonstrated that music promotes parasympathetic autonomic systems, suppresses hyperactivation of stress responses, and boosts immune functions. However, its ability to promote brain plasticity and signalling are only beginning to be realized. Moreover, its employment as a therapy for the treatment of specific aspects of other neurological disorders, including neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative conditions and their comorbidities, is fast becoming an interesting field of research.

Objective

The aim of this review is to summarize some of the recent studies focused on evaluating the applications of music therapy. For this purpose, we have focused on disorders encompassing both temporal extremities of brain developmental stages, from developmental conditions of autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), to ageing-related pathologies of Parkinson's disease and dementias.

Results

The findings of the reviewed studies indicate potent utilities of music-based interventions in beneficially affecting multiple spheres of brain functions, such as sensorimotor, auditory, communication/language, psychological/emotional, behavioural, sleep and memory and cognitive attributes of patients diagnosed with diverse neuropathologies. Nevertheless, lack of standardized protocols for music provision as well as absence of information regarding key aspects, such as cultural and musical orientations of subjects and therapists'/caregivers' attitudes, have hindered the complete realization of music's therapeutic potential for neurological conditions. Further, while some studies have undertaken assessments of core neurophysiological mechanisms underlying music therapy, this information is largely lacking for most clinical studies.

Conclusion

While this is not an exhaustive review of literature, we do hope that it serves as a platform to promote future research for establishing music therapy as a relevant neurotherapeutic strategy.

Interventions through Art Therapy and Music Therapy in Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Language Disorders, and Learning Disabilities in Pediatric-Aged Children: A Systematic Review

Traditional pharmacological treatments, although effective, often carry potential side effects, which positions art therapy and music therapy as promising non-pharmacological alternatives to alleviate symptoms and improve social, cognitive, and emotional skills without the associated risks. Through a review in the SCOPUS and WOS databases following the PRISMA protocol, a total of 80 articles were analyzed through a series of determined categories and subcategories of analysis. The aim of this study is to evaluate and synthesize the existing evidence on the efficacy and applicability of art therapy and music therapy in the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), hyperactivity disorder (HSDD), developmental language disorders, and language learning difficulties, identifying best practices and key areas for future research. Among the main findings is that art therapy and music therapy have a significant impact on symptomatology, behavior, and communication as well as social, cognitive, and emotional skills in the pediatric populations studied. These therapies are highly valued by the participants with a large majority recognizing their adaptability to different educational and clinical contexts. It is concluded that these therapies have a high potential as viable alternatives or complements to traditional pharmacological treatments, justifying their application and further study in broader therapeutic contexts.

The effect of background sounds on mind wandering

Mind wandering (MW) reflects a situation in which the cognitive system is detached from the main task and involved with inner thoughts. It has been well document that music and other background sounds can have positive effects on number of cognitive functioning. In addition, other body of literature suggests that background sounds might have specifically positive effect on individuals with more attention deficiencies. Hence, the current study examines the effect of background sounds on MW. In two experiments, the effect of background sounds: music (Experiment 1) or an alerting tone (Experiment 2) while performing sustained attention tasks was examined among typical development participants with different severity of attention deficiency. Background sounds were found to reduce MW especially in individuals with more ADHD symptoms. This was further discussed in the context of several theories, and it was suggested that background sound might be used as a tool for MW reduction.

The Effects of White Noise on Attentional Performance and On-Task Behaviors in Preschoolers with ADHD

Several models have tentatively associated improving attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms with arousal and external environmental stimulation. In order to further clarify the relationships between ADHD symptoms, arousal, and external stimulation, this study focused on exploring the "simultaneous" effects of white noise on intrinsic attentional performance and extrinsic on-task behaviors in preschoolers with and without ADHD. By using the computerized task (K-CPT 2), 104 preschoolers, including 52 ADHD children and 52 typically developing (TD) children, were tested and analyzed for their intrinsic attention (such as detectability, omission errors, commission errors, and reaction time). Simultaneously, these preschoolers' external on-task behaviors were recorded for analysis through systematic observation. This study showed that white noise could effectively improve attention performance, including enhancing the ability to differentiate non-targets from targets and decreasing omission errors. It could also reduce the extrinsic hyperactive behaviors of preschoolers with ADHD. The findings of this study highlighted that white noise stimulation is a beneficial non-pharmacological treatment for preschoolers with ADHD. In contrast, for TD preschoolers, the results of this study showed that the external white noise stimuli were not only unhelpful but also a burden.

The early adolescent brain on music: Analysis of functional dynamics reveals engagement of orbitofrontal cortex reward system

Music listening plays a pivotal role for children and adolescents, yet it remains unclear how music modulates brain activity at the level of functional networks in this young population. Analysing the dynamics of brain networks occurring and dissolving over time in response to music can provide a better understanding of the neural underpinning of music listening. We collected functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 17 preadolescents aged 10-11 years while listening to two similar music pieces separated by periods without music. We subsequently tracked the occurrence of functional brain networks over the recording time using a recent method that detects recurrent patterns of phase-locking in the fMRI signals: the leading eigenvector dynamics analysis (LEiDA). The probabilities of occurrence and switching profiles of different functional networks were compared between periods of music and no music. Our results showed significantly increased occurrence of a specific functional network during the two music pieces compared to no music, involving the medial orbitofrontal and ventromedial prefrontal cortices-a brain subsystem associated to reward processing. Moreover, the higher the musical reward sensitivity of the preadolescents, the more this network was preceded by a pattern involving the insula. Our findings highlight the involvement of a brain subsystem associated with hedonic and emotional processing during music listening in the early adolescent brain. These results offer novel insight into the neural underpinnings of musical reward in early adolescence, improving our understanding of the important role and the potential benefits of music at this delicate age.

The Task Matters: A Scoping Review on Reading Comprehension Abilities in ADHD

OBJECTIVE

A broad range of tasks have been used to classify individuals with ADHD with reading comprehension difficulties. However, the inconsistency in the literature warrants a scoping review of current knowledge about the relationship between ADHD diagnosis and reading comprehension ability.

METHOD

A comprehensive search strategy was performed to identify relevant articles on the topic. Thirty-four articles met inclusion criteria for the current review.

RESULTS

The evidence as a whole suggests reading comprehension is impaired in ADHD. The most prominent effect was found in studies where participants retell or pick out central ideas in stories. On these tasks, participants with ADHD performed consistently worse than typically developing controls. However, some studies found that performance in ADHD improved when reading comprehension task demands were low.

CONCLUSION

Results suggest that performance in ADHD depends on the way reading comprehension is measured and further guide future work clarifying why there are such discrepant findings across studies.

Effects of music on ADHD symptomatology and potential application of music in video games: A systematic review (Preprint)

BACKGROUND

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has a considerable impact on an individual's daily life. Some difficulties with timing deficits may be associated with deficiencies in attention, reading, language skills, or executive function. Music therapy, either active (playing an instrument) or passive (listening to music) has demonstrated its efficacy in reducing symptomatology in many disorders. Video games may prove to be a useful assessment and treatment tool in compensating for the difficulties with multimodal treatment in ADHD.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study is to (1) analyze the evidence that music is beneficial in reducing the symptomatology of ADHD using systematic review and (2) propose the application of music in video games following music therapy strategies.

METHODS

Searches were conducted in PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane, and gray literature (Google Scholar and WorldCat). We used the following search syntax: ((music[Title/Abstract]) or (music therapy[Title/Abstract])) and (attention deficit disorder[MeSH or thesaurus term]).

RESULTS

Of the 70 records identified, 17 provided findings that music can be beneficial in various domains of ADHD. Active music therapy improves hemispheric synchrony, social skills, aggressivity, and impulsivity. Passive music therapy improves academic skills like arithmetic, drawing, and reading comprehension, as well as attention and disruptive behaviors. The effects depend on the music genre, tempo, or task difficulty. Music in video games was generally found to be beneficial for people with ADHD. Music improves immersion and flow while playing video games. Using rhythm may also improve timing skills and immersion in patients with ADHD. Regarding the proposed application of aspects of music to therapeutic video games for ADHD, some paradigms in timing and music therapy were considered in the proposed design of video games.

CONCLUSIONS

Improving ADHD treatment through the application of music in video games is proposed.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42021288226; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=288226.

"I'm in pain and I want help": An online survey investigating the experiences of tic-related pain and use of pain management techniques in people with tics and tic disorders

OBJECTIVES

Tic disorders (TDs) are complex neurological conditions characterized by involuntary, persistent vocalizations and motor movements called tics. Tics involve brief muscle movements and can impair many aspects of daily functioning and quality of life in patients - and their physical nature can cause pain. Understanding individuals' experiences of tic-related pain and pain management could help explore this under-researched area and identify additional support needs for this population. The aim of this study was to investigate experiences of pain and use of pain management techniques in people with tic disorders.

METHODS

An online survey consisting of multiple choice and open-ended questions exploring experiences of tic-related pain, help-seeking behavior for tic-related pain, and use of pain relief techniques for tic-related pain, was circulated online via international Tourette syndrome patient associations, and one online support group for Tourette syndrome. The online survey was open to adults (≥16 years) with self-reported tics. Open-ended questions were analyzed using thematic analysis.

RESULTS

One hundred eighty-one participants (16-71 years; 58.0% female) from 18 countries completed the online survey. Several aspects of tics were associated with pain, including the physical effort of motor tics (n = 177, 97.8%), repetitive tics (n = 141, 77.9%) and the consequences of tics (n = 131, 72.4%). Nearly two-thirds (n = 118, 64.6%) had sought professional help for tic-related pain. Distraction techniques (n = 126, 69.6%), taking pain relief medication (n = 125, 69.1%) and altering tics (n = 111, 61.3%) were the most commonly-reported methods used to relieve and cope with tic-related pain. Thematic analysis found an interrelated complex relationship between participants' tics, pain, and pain management techniques, reflected in four themes: the "tic-pain" cycle, the impact of pain, the importance of support, and the perceived successfulness of pain management techniques.

CONCLUSIONS

Tic-related pain was reported to have a significant physical and psychological impact which impacted aspects of daily living in people with tic disorders. The findings add to limited research suggesting tic-related pain is a dominant issue for individuals with tic disorders, potentially impacting upon their quality of life. Increased understanding of tic-related pain and its influence may be helpful in the long-term management of tic disorders, both in terms of clinical management and patients' self-management.

Mental health and music engagement: review, framework, and guidelines for future studies

Is engaging with music good for your mental health? This question has long been the topic of empirical clinical and nonclinical investigations, with studies indicating positive associations between music engagement and quality of life, reduced depression or anxiety symptoms, and less frequent substance use. However, many earlier investigations were limited by small populations and methodological limitations, and it has also been suggested that aspects of music engagement may even be associated with worse mental health outcomes. The purpose of this scoping review is first to summarize the existing state of music engagement and mental health studies, identifying their strengths and weaknesses. We focus on broad domains of mental health diagnoses including internalizing psychopathology (e.g., depression and anxiety symptoms and diagnoses), externalizing psychopathology (e.g., substance use), and thought disorders (e.g., schizophrenia). Second, we propose a theoretical model to inform future work that describes the importance of simultaneously considering music-mental health associations at the levels of (1) correlated genetic and/or environmental influences vs. (bi)directional associations, (2) interactions with genetic risk factors, (3) treatment efficacy, and (4) mediation through brain structure and function. Finally, we describe how recent advances in large-scale data collection, including genetic, neuroimaging, and electronic health record studies, allow for a more rigorous examination of these associations that can also elucidate their neurobiological substrates.