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Alzheimers / DEMENTIA

"The Preference for Vibrotactile Versus Auditory Stimuli in Severely Regressed Persons with Dementia of the Alzheimer's Type compared with Dementia Due to Ethanol Abuse"

Source:    Published Journal Article
Location: Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Topeka, Kansas
Date:
Contact Information:   Alicia Ann Clair, Ph.D RMT-BC, Director of Music Therapy
                                       Department of Art, Music Education and Music Therapy
                                      311 Baily Hall, The University of Kansas
                                      Lawrence, Kansas 66045

                                       Barry Bernstein, RMT-BC, Clinical Music Therapist
                                       Colmery-O'Neil Veterans Affairs Medical Center
                                       2200 Gage Boulevard
                                       Topeka, Kansas 66622

This study looked at the responses of nine patients with Dementia to three different musical experiences; 1) music experienced vibrotactily via a Somatron, 2) the same music experienced free field via a tape player, and 3) periods of no music. All of the participants were shown how to choose between the three experiences (Somatron, free-field music, no music) by moving their arm, activating a switch that was on their wrist. The author found that the patients did not appear to make consistent purposeful choices during the study. No differences were noted between the responses of those participants who’s dementia was associated with Alzheimers and those who’s dementia was associated with Ethanol abuse. The author stated that the results were inconclusive. She suggested the changes in routine and the unfamiliar environment created by participating in the study as possible reasons for the inconclusive findings.