There's preliminary data that music lessons might boost the mood and brain health of people undergoing chemotherapy Participants in the small study took piano lessons, with positive results It's possible that music therapy might also help folks recovering from severe COVID-19 TUESDAY, Oct. 8, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- In a small, preliminary study, piano lessons provided to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy appeared to help them maintain brain health. "There were a lot of outside stressors contributing to my mood, but piano practice and going to lessons were always something good and positive that I would look forward to, no matter what else was happening,” said Robin Hesselink, an enrollee in a pilot program at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla.
Heeselink, who’s undergoing treatment for stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, explained that “even for those 30 minutes or an hour, I could forget about the other stuff and have something enjoyable. At least temporarily, while I’m doing it, it has a very positive effect on me." Besides those mood-boosting effects, the piano lessons appeared to enhance the "executive function" of participants' brains, according to a news release from the University of South Florida (USF).
The new protocol, called Keys to Staying Sharp, seeks to curb declines in memory and thinking that sometimes accompany chemotherapy, explained , a professor of music education at USF. “We are interested in examining whether social support while lea.
