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Preservation and Efficacy of Music and Singing in Ageing, Aphasia, and Alzheimer’s Disease

Descrizione del progetto

Cantare per ricordare

Nei casi di morbo di Alzheimer, afasia e invecchiamento, sono presenti sempre più prove in merito alla conservazione di ricordi indotti dalla musica e di emozioni nel canto. Ciò potrebbe rendere la musica e il canto canali alternativi per l’espressione verbale ed emotiva, inducendo ricordi e autoconsapevolezza. In questo contesto, il progetto PREMUS, finanziato dall’UE, paragonerà e identificherà gli effetti delle diverse profondità nel coinvolgimento di anziani in attività di canto sulla percezione e la produzione del parlato, nonché sul funzionamento cognitivo, emotivo e sociale. Il gruppo di ricerca analizzerà le basi sociali e neurali degli effetti del canto nel normale invecchiamento rispetto a diverse fasi del morbo di Alzheimer. L’obiettivo di PREMUS consiste nell’esplorazione e nella formulazione di interventi innovativi basati su canto corale, intonazione melodica e musicoterapia in pazienti affetti da afasia, da demenza e che invecchiano.

Obiettivo

For the human brain, music is a highly complex and versatile stimulus that is closely linked to speech, executive-motor, emotion, and memory networks. In severe ageing-related neurological disorders, such as post-stroke aphasia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia, music and singing may provide a valuable alternative route to verbal and emotional expression and to memory and self-awareness. However, the neural processes underlying this are still poorly understood. Moreover, although there is increasing evidence for the efficacy of musical activities in supporting normal neurocognitive ageing and enhancing neurological recovery, the focus has been on individual-level musical activities, overlooking the enormous social potential of music.
PREMUS will combine modern behavioural and neuroimaging methods in the unique context of cross-sectional and cohort studies and clinical trials to achieve both fundamental and applied research goals. The fundamental goal of PREMUS is to determine the neural basis of singing, music-evoked emotions and memories, and explicit and implicit musical learning (i) across normal ageing, (ii) in aphasia, and (iii) in different stages of AD. The applied goal of PREMUS is to uncover the rehabilitative potential of social musical activities by (iv) exploring the long-term efficacy of choir singing on neurocognitive, emotional, and social functioning in normal ageing and mild cognitive impairment and (v) determining the rehabilitative efficacy of a novel intervention that utilizes adapted choir singing, melodic intonation therapy, and computer-based singing training on verbal, cognitive, emotional, and social functioning in aphasia, together with uncovering the structural and functional neuroplasticity changes underlying the effects of the singing interventions. The outcome of PREMUS will have major scientific, clinical, and societal value as well as enormous practical impact on promoting healthy ageing, aphasia rehabilitation, and dementia care

Meccanismo di finanziamento

ERC-STG - Starting Grant

Istituzione ospitante

HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO
Contribution nette de l'UE
€ 1 499 967,00
Indirizzo
YLIOPISTONKATU 3
00014 Helsingin Yliopisto
Finlandia

Mostra sulla mappa

Regione
Manner-Suomi Helsinki-Uusimaa Helsinki-Uusimaa
Tipo di attività
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Collegamenti
Costo totale
€ 1 499 967,00

Beneficiari (1)