Music is Medicine - Ask the Experts

Dr. Lisa Wong is a pediatrician, violinist, arts advocate, author, and associate co-director of the Arts and Humanities Initiative at Harvard Medical School. She teaches about the relationship between music and health at several universities and hospitals across the United States. Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about Dr. Wong at: http://www.drlisamwong.com/about.html

Dr. Michael Zanders, PhD is an Associate Professor and the Director of Music Therapy at Temple University. His research covers an extensive variety of topics within advanced clinical theory, recently focusing on music therapy treatment practices in working with youth in the child welfare system, particularly foster care youth. Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about Dr. Zanders at: htt...

Dr. Marco Iacoboni, MD, PhD is a neuroscientist, UCLA professor, and author of "Mirroring People: The New Science of How We Connect With Others". In this episode, Dr. Iacoboni discusses his research on mirror neurons, neural entrainment, and how music elicits human empathy as explained by neuroscience. Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about Dr. Iacoboni at: http://www.bmap.ucla.edu/ab...

Tommy Sands has for many years been involved in the Irish peace process as a songwriter, performer, and mediator. His songs, which have been translated into many languages, appear in schoolbooks around the world and have been recorded by Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, and dozens of others. He continues to work on social activism projects using music for conflict resolution. Click here for interview highl...

Dr. Jeff Bronstein is a highly awarded researcher of Neurology and one of Music Mends Minds' earliest and most significant supporters. His interests and expertise include the management of Parkinson's disease (PD) and other movement disorders, surgical treatment of PD, and developing new therapies for patients. Click Here for Interview Highlights Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about...

Dr. Theodore Zanto utilizes fMRI, EEG and non-invasive brain stimulation techniques to study neural mechanisms at the intersection of attention, perception, and memory. He is interested in the role of neural entrainment in cognitive control and how it may be used as a potential therapeutic, particularly in the aging population. Currently, Dr. Zanto is assessing how neural entrainment affects basic...

Dr. Robert Bilder has more than 30 years experience in research on brain-behavior relations, with focuses in clinical neuropsychology, neurophysiology, structural and functional neuroimaging, and genomics strategies applied to the study of both healthy people and those with various neurological and psychiatric conditions. Dr. Bilder discusses his work with the Center for the Biology of Creativity...

Dr. Bruce Victor discusses his career as a musician, physician, and professor. His academic focus has been on psychopharmacology, holistic healing, and community engagement through music, both in the United States and Ireland. Click here for interview highlights Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-s-victor-m-d-d-l-f-a-p-a-50496a3/

Dr. Mukund Acharya discusses his career as a social entrepreneur and healthy aging advocate. He has founded/co-founded several non-profits including Sandhya's Touch, focused on improving quality of life for patients and families dealing with serious or chronic illness, and Sukham, which promotes healthy aging and preparation for life transitions in the healthcare arena. Click here for interview hi...

Dr. Rudolph Tanzi discusses groundbreaking progress in the fight to cure Alzheimer's and the ways music can help alleviate symptoms and promote brain connectivity. Click here for interview highlights Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about him at: https://brain.harvard.edu/?people=rudolph-e-tanzi

Dr. Mary Mittelman discusses her research surrounding music's effects on the wellbeing of both patients and their caregivers. Click here for interview highlights Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about her at: https://med.nyu.edu/faculty/mary-s-mittelman

Dr. Theresa Allison discusses her background in ethnomusicology and how she came to study music's potential to improve the quality of life in dementia caregiver relationships. Click here for interview highlights Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about Dr. Theresa Allison and her work at: https://geriatrics.ucsf.edu/people/theresa-allison

Dr. Julene Johnson talks about her career studying music, health and aging, and the importance of community interventions. She also discusses the initiatives and research process within the Sound Health Network. Click here for interview highlights Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about Dr. Johnson and her work at: https://profiles.ucsf.edu/julene.johnson

Dr. Assal Habibi talks about her early career in music and medicine research both independently and in connection with the Sound Health Network. Click here for interview highlights Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about Dr. Asssal Habibi and her work at: https://dornsife.usc.edu/profile/assal-habibi/

Dr. Helen Lavretsky talks about her work in clinical aging studies and integrative interventions, including music therapy. Click here for interview highlights Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about Dr. Lavretsky and her work at: https://www.uclahealth.org/providers/helen-lavretsky

Dr. Susan Rogers talks about her early career as a music producer and subsequent doctoral studies on music perception. Click here for interview highlights Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about Dr. Rogers and her work at: https://college.berklee.edu/people/susan-rogers

Dr. Concetta Tomaino talks about her work as an early pioneer for clinical applications of music in neurological rehabilitation. Click here for interview highlights Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about her and the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function at: https://www.imnf.org/meet-our-staff

Dr. Howland shares her research on the clinical applications of music to enhance speech, language, cognition and movement in habilitation and rehabilitation settings. Click here for interview highlights Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about Dr. Howland and her work: https://www.kathleenhowland.com

Dr. Corene Thaut shares her research on the benefits of Neurologic Music Therapy and Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation. Music Mends Minds encourages you to visit her page at https://mahrc.music.utoronto.ca/people/curriculum-vitae-corene-thaut-phd/ to see her credentials and publications. Click here for interview highlights Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about Dr. Thaut and her work: htt...

The Founder of Music Mends Minds, Carol Rosenstein, talks with the Founder of ARTSpeaks, Chip Staley, about how music making transforms the lives of elders living with cognitive decline. Click here for interview highlights Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about Rosenstein and her work: https://www.musicmendsminds.org/carol-rosenstein

Dr. Nina Kraus shares her research on the effects of sound, music, and hearing on the brain's cognitive, sensory, motor, and reward networks. Music Mends Minds encourages you to visit her website at https://brainvolts.northwestern.edu/ and to read her book, "Of Sound Mind: How Our Brain Constructs a Meaningful Sonic World". Click here for interview highlights Music Mends Minds encourages you to re...

In this Ask the Expert episode, Dr. Michael Thaut highlights his research findings on rhythm's significant, therapeutic effects on Parkinson's patients! Renowned in the world of neurodegenerative research, Dr. Thaut shares his most recent significant findings with us! Click here for interview highlights Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about him and his work: https://rsi.utoronto.ca/f...

A longer episode, jampacked to the brim, on Professor Dean's experiences as a highly acclaimed performer and Professor at the UCLA Herb Albert School of Music of 17 years. He shares with us advice, stories, and tips on how music is healing for all- young and old, talented or not. Click here for interview highlights Music Mends Minds encourages you to read more about him and his work: https://schoo...

In this episode, we touch on a different realm of science: psychology. We interview Dr. Joyce Shaffer and she explains to us the benefits of positive psychology, the relation between neuroplasticity and psychology, and how healthy habits can actually keep your brain fit! Disclaimer: "Nothing said or written is intended to be medical advice. By using these words you confirm agreement with this poli...

In this episode, we interview Dr. Mark Tramo. We discuss neurology myths, the medical benefits of music, and advice for aspiring neurology researchers! Dr. Tramo is a Professor in the Departments of Integrative Biology & Physiology, Neurology, and Musicology at the UCLA Schools of Letters & Science, Medicine, and Music. Dr. Tramo is a 2015 recipient of the UC President's Research Catalyst...