The audience of the first MuSci Café being very enthusiastic about this new concept asked for another one. Both Science View and MusicHeaven worked hard to organize in a less than two months period the second Musci Café. This time our subject was "Music and Medicine" and the audience warmly received it at Ianos a place that successfully hosted once again our events. The audience had the chance to listen 3 wonderful presentations of Dr Dritsas (Cardiologist and music composer), Dr. Sakka (Neurologist and Psychiatrist) and Mr. Trifonopoulos (Psychologist).
The speakers received a big and vivid audience that did not only enjoyed their presentations and discussions but also had the opportunity to listen to live music rehearsed by 3 groups.
Dr Dritsas who opened the presentation focused on the intercultural character of the music and its influence on the human civilization. Every aspect of the human creation as well as the human organism functions are affected and governed by rhythm and tempo: the heart beat, the breath, the menstrual cycle, hormones and so forth.
Since antiquity, music therapy is known to influence and is associated with physical and mental health. Homer. Plato and Pythagoras exalted the contribution of music in the human mental state and balance. In mid 1800 a nurse, Florence Nightingale, observed the beneficial effects of wind instruments with continuous sound and in 1914 Kane was the first to provide intra-operative music to distract patient’s attention from the surgery pain and stress. The National Association of Music in Hospitals is established in 1926 and marks the beginning of a new era in the collaboration of music and medicine. Since then significant research has been conducted in cardiology, psychology, psychiatry and embryology.
It is interesting to mention that the baby can listen to the music in the mother’s womb by week 16 and that the womb sounds promote the brain development. Furthermore, a baby has the ability to distinguish between mother body sounds and external music sound as well as the change in her cardiac frequency and breath. Babies feel safer and are calmer when they hear the mother’s heart beat. That is why for relaxation reasons musicians and doctors use sounds similar to the placental flow and the heart beat. In case of premature babies, researchers installed in the Neonatal ICU womb sounds and found out that the babies increased weight and reduced cardiac frequency, increase oxygen saturation and decreased level of agitation only by listening to these familiar sounds. Lullabies have been also used and proved fewer episodes of stress behaviors.
Arts in general contribute to the child development and more specifically in brain development. Brain gains plasticity and integration skills, presents significant motor development, enhances visual memory, cognitive and socio emotional levels, memory and learning. In other words, children become cleverer and more socially adapted.
Nowadays, Music Therapy, whether it is receptive or active, promotes participation and social skills and at the same time reduces pain and stress, relaxes and promotes positive thinking and creativity that may be therapeutic through communication with other members of the team.
Music Medicine applies in almost all fields: surgery, dentistry, pediatrics, respiratory, oncology, neonatal, obstetric, neurology, psychiatry and others.
Dr Sakka explored the field of dementia and particularly the Alzheimer disease. In that area music therapy and related activities (dance, chores, poem writing, etc) seem to have a great success. Relevant research shows that music therapy reduces depression among older adults, enhances social and emotional skills, to help recall and promote language skills and to decrease problem behaviors and agitated or aggressive behaviors. In addition to that, in the Day Centers for Alzheimer disease therapists and medical staff facilitate movement and physical rehabilitation, increase motivation to engage in treatment, provide emotional support for patients, families and caregivers, and create an outlet for expression of feelings. In that sense medication is strengthen with memory exercises, play and social interaction.
The speakers received a big and vivid audience that did not only enjoyed their presentations and discussions but also had the opportunity to listen to live music rehearsed by 3 groups.
Dr Dritsas who opened the presentation focused on the intercultural character of the music and its influence on the human civilization. Every aspect of the human creation as well as the human organism functions are affected and governed by rhythm and tempo: the heart beat, the breath, the menstrual cycle, hormones and so forth.
Since antiquity, music therapy is known to influence and is associated with physical and mental health. Homer. Plato and Pythagoras exalted the contribution of music in the human mental state and balance. In mid 1800 a nurse, Florence Nightingale, observed the beneficial effects of wind instruments with continuous sound and in 1914 Kane was the first to provide intra-operative music to distract patient’s attention from the surgery pain and stress. The National Association of Music in Hospitals is established in 1926 and marks the beginning of a new era in the collaboration of music and medicine. Since then significant research has been conducted in cardiology, psychology, psychiatry and embryology.
It is interesting to mention that the baby can listen to the music in the mother’s womb by week 16 and that the womb sounds promote the brain development. Furthermore, a baby has the ability to distinguish between mother body sounds and external music sound as well as the change in her cardiac frequency and breath. Babies feel safer and are calmer when they hear the mother’s heart beat. That is why for relaxation reasons musicians and doctors use sounds similar to the placental flow and the heart beat. In case of premature babies, researchers installed in the Neonatal ICU womb sounds and found out that the babies increased weight and reduced cardiac frequency, increase oxygen saturation and decreased level of agitation only by listening to these familiar sounds. Lullabies have been also used and proved fewer episodes of stress behaviors.
Arts in general contribute to the child development and more specifically in brain development. Brain gains plasticity and integration skills, presents significant motor development, enhances visual memory, cognitive and socio emotional levels, memory and learning. In other words, children become cleverer and more socially adapted.
Nowadays, Music Therapy, whether it is receptive or active, promotes participation and social skills and at the same time reduces pain and stress, relaxes and promotes positive thinking and creativity that may be therapeutic through communication with other members of the team.
Music Medicine applies in almost all fields: surgery, dentistry, pediatrics, respiratory, oncology, neonatal, obstetric, neurology, psychiatry and others.
Dr Sakka explored the field of dementia and particularly the Alzheimer disease. In that area music therapy and related activities (dance, chores, poem writing, etc) seem to have a great success. Relevant research shows that music therapy reduces depression among older adults, enhances social and emotional skills, to help recall and promote language skills and to decrease problem behaviors and agitated or aggressive behaviors. In addition to that, in the Day Centers for Alzheimer disease therapists and medical staff facilitate movement and physical rehabilitation, increase motivation to engage in treatment, provide emotional support for patients, families and caregivers, and create an outlet for expression of feelings. In that sense medication is strengthen with memory exercises, play and social interaction.
Athens audience was not the only to enjoy the 2nd MuSci Café that took place June, 21 at Ianos. The event was directly broadcasted by the Italian Media LiberoReporter, with the help of the Italian Member of Science view Giorgio Mammoliti.
You can find photos (slide show) of the event here
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