Ava Conte

Neurochemical basis of AD and Music Therapy

Started July 29, 2022

Abstract or project description

The brain is an adaptable organ system that changes during health and disease, as well as in response to environmental stimuli. The neurochemical basis of these changes occurs at the level of individual neurotransmitters, the principal units by which neurons communicate and convey valenced information. Different neurotransmitters have different functions, such as sleep, memory, emotions, hunger/thirst, social bonding, autonomic functions, and among other key behaviors. However, these functions are compromised in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In AD we know that specific neurotransmitter systems are dysregulated, such as serotonin, Norepinephrine, dopamine, and melatonin. Despite a bevy of pharmacological approaches to modulate these neurotransmitter systems, emerging evidence indicates the therapeutic value of environmental stimuli as a non-pharmacological approach to modulate neurotransmitter levels. Specifically, music therapy is an emerging therapeutic intervention that shows immense promise in modulating key neurotransmitters that are dysregulated during AD. The purpose of this review is to summarize key scientific and clinical findings in the space of neurotransmitter systems involved in AD and music therapy.