Can Music Help People with Epilepsy?

According to new research presented at the American Psychological Association’s annual meeting, the brains of people with epilepsy appear to react differently to music compared to those who do not have the disorder. During the study, researchers from The Ohio State University compared the neural processing abilities of the brains of people with and without epilepsy using an electroencephalogram, and collected data from 21 patients between 2012 and 2014. The researchers recorded brainwave patterns while patients listened to 10 minutes of silence; followed by either Mozart’s Sonata in D Major, Andante Movement II (K448) or John Coltrane’s rendition of My Favorite Things, followed by a second 10-minute period of silence, the other of the two musical pieces and finally a third 10-minute period of silence. The order of the music was randomized, meaning some participants listened to Mozart first and other participants listened to Coltrane first. The researchers found significantly higher levels of brainwave activity in participants when they were listening to music. More importantly, brainwave activity in people with epilepsy tended to synchronize more with the music, especially in the temporal lobe, when compared to people without epilepsy. The findings could lead to potential new therapies to help prevent seizures, used in conjunction with traditional treatments. To read more about this study, click here.