Paul Weissfellner

Prof. Fenn

INTD 105-19: Science Writing

November 2, 2016

“The Therapeutic Effects of Singing in Neurological Disorders” looks at a variety of studies conducted on the use of singing to aid people with a variety of conditions that affect speech, including stuttering, Parkinson’s disease, aphasia caused by stroke, and autism. The article exhaustively reviews the effects of treatments involving singing on each condition, as well as the physiological and physical changes that occur in the brain when singing as opposed to speaking, and how these changes could potentially allow those with these disorders to speak and communicate clearly.

This connection between unusual brain activity and music is not novel. In my personal experience, it’s always easier to remember lyrics to songs than any other sequence of words, and I have often been told to use melodies to help myself remember information. I’m glad that this thinking has been applied to helping those with neurological disorders, and I wonder what else these methods could be applied to.