Patrick Jones                                                               Approximately 200 Words

pwj2@geneseo.edu

INTD 105-19

November 2, 2016

In the article, “The Therapeutic Effects of Singing in Neurological Disorders”, Catherine Wan, Theodor Ruber, Anja Hohmann, and Gottfried Schlaug discuss the new research showing the positive effects of singing on patients suffering from neurological conditions. Recent studies show that singing strengthens the muscles associated with breathing, phonating, and articulating that allows stutterers gain cognitive function of their speech. The use of sustained vowel phonation during singing has also shown positive results on reducing the effects of Parkinson’s disease on speech. Singing has also shown positive effects on patients with Aphasia, a complication of a stroke that results in difficulty understanding and producing language, and autism. While singing, an individual uses both hemispheres of the brain and could result in structural adaptations in the brain that helps those suffering from aphasia and autism better understand language.

I have many friends perusing careers in the relatively new field of music therapy. Musical therapists would be the people who interact with the patients studied in the experiments mentioned within the article. The existence of this career proves there is a relationship between art and medicine, and it could be interesting to learn more about the research being done on the effects of the occupation.

Matt Klein                                                            approximately 200 words

mgk6@geneseo.edu

INTD 105-19: Science Writing

“The Therapeutic Effects of Singing in Neurological Disorders”

By Matt Klein

            Since speaking and singing share many similarities, researchers have begun to test the effectiveness of singing as a treatment for neurological conditions. In “The Therapeutic Effects of Singing in Neurological Disorders,” Harvard students summarize the ways singing is being used to treat stuttering, Parkinson’s disease, aphasia, and autism. In the various studies, they describe, it was found that singing can increase cardio-physiological health and improve connections between the sensory, motor, and multimodal parts of the brain. Since singing also isolates the phonemes in words, those struggling with fluency have more control time to correct their speech. Overall, treatments involving singing increased fluency in all the disorders examined. This success illustrates how arts, like singing, can bring great contributions to fields science.

Despite the large amount of success described in this article, I’m curious as to how long-term the effects are. As a stutterer, I know that singing does help with fluency while singing, but I don’t notice any permanent changes. I’d also like to know what studies have found about the effectiveness of instrumental music, as I have been playing the cello for ten years.

Logan Steffens                                                                                                150 words

Lts6@geneseo.edu

INTD:105

In “The Therapeutic Effects of Singing in Neurological Disorders” by Catherine Y. Wan, Theodor Rüber, Anja Hohmann, and Gottfried Schlaug, they talk about how singing can affect people who have neurological disabilities such as Stuttering, Parkinson’s disease, and autism. The reason singing helps people who suffer from these diseases is because singing requires breath regulation and speech regulation which can help a person speak correctly and without something such as a stutter.

This article reminded me of my little brother who used to have a speech impediment. In the past he used to stutter and not be able to pronounce his L’s and T’s. Many times at home we would try to help him pronounce the words correctly but rarely did that ever work. However through the use of speech therapy and being involved in the schools chorus we noticed his speech improving significantly throughout this time.

Alec Toufexis

agt9@geneseo.edu

INTD105-19

Bromirski has been studying the effect of gravity waves on the integrity of the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica. This study uses seismographs that measure the vibrations of the ice shelf. The information gathered will be used to better understand the evolution of the shelf in a changing environment characterized by an increase in the amount of storms and effects of the increase of oceanic waves that are hitting the shelf. Certain sections of the shelf respond to the different frequencies of the gravity waves due to the depth of the ice. The different frequencies are produced by the severity of storms in the region.

This relates the science of how the ice shelf responds to changing environmental factors and the art of sound. This is because the gravity waves cause the different portions of the ice to vibrate and form sound which could be measured by seismographs. This is an ingenious study.

Aubrie Cross

INTD: Science Writing

About 150 words

In the article “The Therapeutic Effects of Singing in Neurological Disorders,” the scientist believe that singing has a positive effect on neurological disorders and theres the potential that singing could become a treatment for these disorders. The act of singing or producing musical sounds can result in treating speech motor deficits. Researchers ran a study and took group of patients who struggled with singing and asked them to sing for ten minutes. When they were done singing they saw that singing reduced the frequency of stuttering by ninety percent. However, singing therapy isn’t only  effective for patients with stuttering. Parkinson’s Disease,  Aphasia, and Autism can also be treated through singing treatments.

This really interested me because I had no idea that Neurological problems could be reduced through the technique of singing therapy. I enjoyed this piece because I’m interested in music and learning that theres a connection between singing and treatments for patients is something that I find fascinating.

Racheal Devine                                                 about 150 words

INTD: Science Writing

rmd20@geneseo.edu

Antarctica! Choice 2

In Bromirski’s research on Ross Ice Shelf Vibrations, he talks about gravity waves and their effect on waves and then their effect onto the Ross Ice Shelf. Gravity waves can sometimes be changed into free waves which make swells in the water that hit the ice shelf and create stress.

These waves make vibrations which can relate to the arts and sciences, by recording the different vibrations you can tell the season. An ice free summer has small icebergs and during the colder winters there are many more floating icebergs and that buffers the waves so that there are less vibrations hitting the ice shelf. These vibrations are measured in seismic measurements. This article makes me think of when you’re in a pool and you make waves and them getting so big they crash over the side but does not create any question for me to research.

Sarah Lambert                                                                                 about 150 words

sel15@geneseo.edu

Student, INTD 105-19: Scientific Writing

The Rifts in the Research of the Ross Ice Shelf

By Sarah Lambert

    After reading multiple pieces on Peter Bromirski’s research on vibrations in the Ross Ice Shelf, I have a better grasp on the extent of his research in Antarctica. Studying how the IG (infragravity) waves propagate from the North Pacific to the most southern continent and cause the ice shelf to calve, we can see how the waves will affect the environment in the future as climate change becomes a more prominent issue.

    The research in Antarctica is interesting because it coincides with very current events. Dealing with climate change, this research and the results following can be very influential on the actions taken to deal with climate change. Some questions that arise include the following: How do these North Pacific waves affect the RIS more than local ones? What effects do these IG waves have on other coastal areas? How will these developments add to the developments in combatting climate change?

Erik Buckingham                                                        approximately 180 words

ekb7@geneseo.edu

INTD 105: Science Writing

Thoughts on Postcards from the Edge of Consciousness”

By: Erik Buckingham

In “Postcards from the Edge of Consciousness,” Meehan Christ uses sensory deprivation to heighten her senses and allow herself to relax. Sensory deprivation involves laying in a dark room with a tub that resembles a large shower room. The tub is filled with salt water that is more concentrated than the dead sea, and there is a button to the right of where the person lays that shuts off all of the lights in the tub room if it is clicked. After the lights are shut off and the person is laying in the tub, they begin to hear their heart beat, blood circulation, nervous system, and organs.

This reading speaks to the relationship between arts and sciences through the rich details that Megan Christ gives in her description of the sounds that she hears. She states that an air bubble coming up behind her ear feels like a “truck coming around” the curve of her head. I found that this was an excellent example of creative writing while helping us better understand how heightened our hearing is during sensory deprivation.

Juniper Tremper
Scientific Writing 105-19
Geneseo, NY
~170 words

Inspiration is Necessary for both Scientists and Artists
Juniper Tremper

When we sing, we put parts of our body to use in the same manner that we would use muscles to play a sport. Singing, especially over an extended duration of time,  helps us learn to control the parts of our body that produce our singing voices, which are the same parts that allow us to speak. Singing requires noise projection and breath regulation, and in long term cases, heart rate adaptation. As a result of practicing song, then, our improved control over our vocal processes reduce stutters and other speech impediments. All of this is described in the context of relevant scientific experiments in the article “The Therapeutic Effects of Singing in Neurological Disorders.” Several scientific inventions already exist which owe inspiration credit to science fiction literature, and noted with the overlap of the musical art of singing with the science of impaired speech, we can hope that the relationship between science and art thrives, continuing to produce necessary artistic inspiration to scientists, and opportunities for artists to get involved in science.

The Physiological Benefits of Singing

By Will Gerber

The National Institute of Health released a synopsis of studies that show possible health benefits in singing.  Disorders with potential to be treated through singing include stuttering, aphasia, autism, and Parkinson’s disease. Mostly, singing helps to alleviate the symptoms of these disorders by establishing strong neural connections between auditory and sensorimotor areas in the brain. In addition, the breathing control involved in singing is linked to positive cardio-physiological fitness. While singing won’t be able to cure anyone’s illness by itself, studies show that it can be a promising therapeutic strategy.

 This article fascinated me because I never really thought about speaking and singing as different functions. I am happy to realize that researchers are looking into these kind of new, out-of-the-box ideas.