What much advantages do you think classical music can contribute to mankind? Unquestionably, all healthy people benefit from power of it. For example, if you listen its pieces in the early age, you tend to have effective developmental process in your brain. Or when depression and stress occupy your mind, the music can make you relaxed and clear up your head. But who else can receive its contribution? The answer popped up when I'd laid my eyes on a headline in the NewScientist magazine "Classical music moves the heart in vegetative patients"
In the article, Francesco Riganello and colleagues at the Santa Anna Institute in Crotone, Italy, found that the kind of music can affect the emotional system of patients who are in vegetative state. They set up the experiment by dividing participants into two groups: 16 healthy people and 9 vegetative patients. Both groups are required to listen to four pieces of classical music which each has three minutes long and differ in tempos and rhythms. As the dependant variable, they measured rate of heartbeat to indicate their responses. Interestingly, the two groups of participants responded to every piece of music, which created both positive and negative sentiments, in similar heart rates.
After reading the article, some issues are raised in my mind. First, the result turns to be another proof for me that there are no discrimination existed in the realm of music. Not only the factor about age ,sex and physical disabilities, it now covers the condition of people's consciousness. Everyone can reach and perceive it with spontaneousness. Second, it is time to redefine the meaning of the word "vegetative state". Up to now, "people are medically defined as vegetative when they have no recognisable behavioural responses to external stimuli" (2010,¶5). According to Riganello's say, they are thought to be isolated from the external world. If the definition is plausible, why those patients still have feeling for the music. There are no reasonable explanation that can justify the changing of their heart rates. The last idea is for vegetative patients' sake. Related with the second idea mentioned above, if we can explore more about conditions of the vegetativeness, it may lead to a new promising approach of the rehabilitation.
I am so glad that I heard this discovery and look forward to knowing it more in the future. This kind of the research are fulfilled with hope, encouragement and possibilities which are main supports for people to live their lives. In addition, the article attracted me in the first place because I have faith in the value of music. Although it has helped and healed a lot of people in pain (in this article it also includes the painless), I think we have not yet discovered its maximum competence. Who knows maybe music is another secret of universe.
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References
Zukerman,W.(2010, July 02). Classical music moves the heart in vegetative patients. NewScientist. Retreived July 05,2010 from http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5799815849860750564
Monday 5 July 2010
11 comments:
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Apple, I have to admit that I have some questions to the scientists who did this research. I am just curious about what other kind of music does such as rock music, and why they choose the classical music. I suppose the result should be similar. Isn’t it? In addition, after read the article, I can infer that the vegetative patients are not deaf because they can hear. Am I right?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you,p'book. This is an interesting point we should question about. Not only this experiment, many other researches also give priority to concern about classical music such as neural development in babies and recovery therapy for patients who suffer from mental illnesses. I guess that the music may have some powerful contents that capture many specialists' attention.For the last point, my answer is yes they are not deaf. I think some parts of their body can still function. But the amusing point is why they can respond to the musical stimulation in spite of having no feeling for other perceptions.
ReplyDeletep.s. thank you for being the first one to read and comment my post. You are always the real source of encouragement, my brother.
I agree with you. Music has amazing power like this. We're gonna know in the near future!
ReplyDeleteNot surprised to see your comment at this time, insomnia guy. As a musician, you certainly realize the value of it at least from your direct experience. Am I right?. I hope so to see much more of its power soon.
ReplyDeleteThe musical topic is so hot around here! I think this study has some kinds of connection to Bright's topic (2010) "You Can Sing Eventhough You Can't Speak". I think we all know that the brain and heart are related, for example, when you're happy, nervous, or frighten, your heart beats faster. If music had an effect on our brain (right side), they would affect our heart as well. Anyway, it is just my hypothesis about those studies.
ReplyDeleteApple,
ReplyDeleteHow would you like to redefine vegetative state?
Thanks for bringing the ideas in that article to our notice.
Maybe vegetative patients are not completely isolated from the external world that we previously presumed. I think there are some links that still attach them to the real world. Something maybe tiny but being an essential connection to perceive surrounding environments. I haven't known yet what should be a better meaning of the state. But I believe if we can track down the competence of music, we will get some significant clues that can further the study of vegetative state and, in turn, realize the exact definition of it.
ReplyDeletep.s. peter, I'm not sure whether I answer your question(at least I have tried to make a sensible response for your post)
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ReplyDeleteI love music because it gives me enjoyable and worthwhile experience.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any recommended songs to share ?
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ReplyDeletePetchy, there are many beautiful pieces of it that I believe you've already heard many times. I haven't had any songs in my mind yet. But if I have, I will certainly recommend it to you.
ReplyDeletep.s maybe you can ask Tum, the pianist.