Eliciting Music-Evoked Autobiographical Memories (MEAMs) in Individuals with Mild Alzheimer’s Disease: A Case Series

Abstract

Numerous studies have examined the possibility that listening to music facilitates learning and memory, and various music therapy interventions have yielded promising results for individuals with pathological amnesic disorders. However, the mechanisms by which such phenomena operate are largely unknown. Here I will pursue the hypothesis that music processing pathways are linked to autobiographical memory networks, allowing the spontaneous activation of memories for personal events (music-evoked autobiographical memories, or MEAMs). These reminiscences are often of a pleasant or nostalgic nature, inducing a positive affective state. These emotions, in turn, elicit a sense of identity and self-awareness that contributes to psychological well-being. I will present data from a series of participants diagnosed with mild Alzheimer’s disease, all of whom have varying degrees of short-term memory deficits and cognitive impairments. After listening to a 30-second musical excerpt (in a total sequence of 24), they were asked to describe any memories that may have been conjured by the music, as well as their overall attitude, familiarity, and emotional reaction towards the piece. The experimental stimuli included 12 pieces from a well-known repertory of instrumental classical music, which were matched to 12 similar excerpts controlled for instrumentation, tempo, mode, and stylistic patterns. I video-recorded the interviews, analyzing both verbal and behavioural responses to the musical excerpts played. Data will be compared with that obtained from healthy controls. I will then discuss the implications of the current pilot project towards future studies and potential applications in clinical settings.