Resiliency of Musical Memory Networks in Alzheimer’s Disease Patients

This paper examines the resilience of musical memory regions in the brain throughout the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the most widespread neurodegenerative disease and is globally projected to affect 153 million people by 2050. While memory loss is one of the main symptoms of Alzheimer’s, recent research has shown that some forms of memory remain relatively preserved throughout the disorder’s progression. This paper reviews studies that use neuroimaging techniques, such as MRI, fMRI, PET, and EEG, to track how the brain changes with age, and then more specifically, how the brain progresses through Alzheimer’s disease. The paper then reviews studies on musical memory networks and the specific brain regions that are activated when processing music. Interestingly, these regions of the brain involved with musical memory, which include the right hippocampus, medial and superior temporal lobes, the caudal anterior cingulate cortex (cACC), and the ventral pre-supplementary motor area (ventral pre-SMA), correspond with the regions that are some of the last to degenerate in Alzheimer’s, namely the cingulate cortex, frontal areas, and parts of the temporal lobe. This endurance may help explain why patients with later stages of Alzheimer’s can recognize familiar songs and respond emotionally to music. Understanding these mechanisms can help researchers, caregivers, and patients explore music-based therapies that are non-pharmacological and accessible. In the context of a neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer’s, these insights show that music, and possibly personalized music, can be a tool to improve the mood, memory, and quality of life of patients.