Melodic intonation therapy: shared insights on how it is done and why it might help.
For more than 100 years, clinicians have noted that patients with nonfluent aphasia are capable of singing words that they cannot speak. Thus, the use of melody and rhythm has long been recommended for improving aphasic patients' fluency, but it was not until 1973 that a music-based treatment [Melodic Intonation Therapy (MIT)] was developed. Our ongoing investigation of MIT's efficacy has provided valuable insight into this therapy's effect on language recovery. Here we share those observations, our additions to the protocol that aim to enhance MIT's benefit, and the rationale that supports them.
Norton
Andrea
A
Music, Stroke Recovery, and Neuroimaging Laboratory, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.
Zipse
Lauryn
L
Marchina
Sarah
S
Schlaug
Gottfried
G
D001039:Aphasia, Broca / Q000628:therapy*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009147:Music Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology