Time frame 2014–2017
Description Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes many parallel cognitive, motor, emotional, and social deficits, which are highly debilitating in everyday life and often challenging for rehabilitation. Novel rehabilitation methods, which are versatile, motivating, and effective are needed. This project aims to (i) determine whether a novel form of neurological music therapy specifically developed for TBI patients can enhance cognitive, motor, emotional, and social functioning after TBI and to (ii) uncover which brain mechanisms underlie its efficacy. The project will provide novel and highly valuable information about the neurocognitive basis TBI recovery and the applicability and clinical effectiveness of neurological music therapy in TBI
Methods randomized controlled trial (RCT), neuropsychological/perceptual/cognitive/behavioral tests, mood and quality of life questionnaires, motor tests, structural neuroimaging measures (sMRI, DTI, VBM), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
Keywords neurological music therapy, traumatic brain injury, neuropsychology, rehabilitation, neuroplasticity
People Prof. Mari Tervaniemi, PhD, Sini-Tuuli Siponkoski, LicPsych, Tommi Makkonen, MSc
Collaborators Prof. Aarne Ylinen, MD, PhD, Department of Neurology & Brain Injury Outpatient Clinic, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Dr. Pekka Rantanen, MD, PhD, Validia Rehabilitation Helsinki, Finnish Association of People with Physical Disabilities, Jaana Sarajuuri, LicPsych, Validia Rehabilitation Helsinki, Finnish Association of People with Physical Disabilities, Dr. Susanna Melkas, MD, PhD, Neurology Outpatient Clinic, Lohja Hospital, Dr. Johanna Pekkola, MD, PhD, HUS Helsinki Medical Imaging Centre and Department of Radiology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Dr. Sanna Koskinen, PhD, Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Prof. Matti Laine, PhD, Department of Psychology, Åbo Akademi University, Dr. Esa Ala-Ruona, PhD, Department of Music, University of Jyväskylä, Music therapists Sari Laitinen, Milla Holma, Mirja Ahlfors, Päivi Jordan-Kilkki, and Jouni Kettunen, Sini-Tuuli Siponkoski, MA, South Karelia Central Hospital, Katja Ala-Kauhaluoma, MA, LUDUS Neuropsychology Services, Prof. Antoni Rodríguez-Fornells, PhD and Pablo Ripolles, MSc, Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Centre, University of Barcelona, Spain, Prof. Nathan Zasler, MD, PhD, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Virginia, USA
Funding Academy of Finland, Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela), University of Helsinki (three-year research grant), Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation, private donation