Preservation of episodic musical memory in a pianist with Alzheimer disease

Abstract

Creativity is distinct from other brain activities. Little is known about the neural networks of music perception and musical memory.1 However, there are reports that suggest that they may be subserved by distinct neural networks. This distinction is further explored through studying music perception in all its complexities, including pitch, timbre, rhythm, and harmony. Each of these perceptions may be differentially lateralized and further differentiated among musicians and non-musicians.2 In this clinical report we explore these distinctions in a patient with Alzheimer disease (AD). A right-handed professional pianist with a family history of AD was evaluated for possible dementia. At age 58, she began to develop memory impairment, disorientation, and difficulties in visuospatial and executive functions. A year later she presented with psychotic depression and delusional paranoid ideation. When seen at our clinic, both her Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) …