Singing training improves communication and spoken language in patients with chronic aphasia

A total of 54 patients with chronic aphasia and acquired brain damage as well as their family carers (n = 43) were enrolled. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups receiving either a 4-month singing intervention during the first half of the study or a 4-month singing intervention during the second half of the study using a crossover randomised controlled trial design. The solution included both weekly group training and at-home tablet-assisted singing instruction. Patients' communication and speech production, mood, social functioning, and quality of life were evaluated using tests and questionnaires at the baseline, 5-month, and 9-month stages. Family carers' carer burden was evaluated using questionnaires. Analyses using a linear mixed model included all participants (n = 50) who took part in the baseline measurement.

The key findings of the study were:

1. From baseline to the 5-month stage, the singing intervention improved daily communication and responsive speech production compared to standard care.

2. These improvements were also longitudinally maintained (baseline to 9-month stage).

3. The strategy also improved patients' social engagement and lessened caregiver burden.

Reference:

Siponkoski, S.-T., Pitkäniemi, A., Laitinen, S., Särkämö, E.-R., Pentikäinen, E., Eloranta, H., Tuomiranta, L., Melkas, S., Schlaug, G., Sihvonen, A. J., & Särkämö, T. (2022). Efficacy of a multicomponent singing intervention on communication and psychosocial functioning in chronic aphasia: a randomized controlled crossover trial. In Brain Communications. Oxford University Press (OUP). https://doi.org/10.1093/braincomms/fcac337