Investigators hypothesize, based on anecdotal evidence to date, that active music making interventions conducted on a patient's neglected side will result in improved attention to that side and that this will be measurable within session.
An open, single group of ten patients selected will receive a 30 minute music therapy/occupational therapy co-treatment intervention. Music interventions will be performed by a licensed, Board-Certified Music Therapist while a licensed Occupational Therapist will provide support, assistance, and measurements of behavioral attention/inattention. At the outset of the first session patients will be briefly, informally interviewed to ascertain their musical preferences, which will then be integrated into the music therapist's interventions whenever possible to maximize engagement and therapeutic rapport. Live music will be provided on the patient's neglected side and patients will be encouraged to play music interactively with a focus towards that side whenever possible. An outcome measurement tool (Star Cancellation Test) will be focused on measuring hemispheric neglect and administered at the beginning and end of each session to measure within session changes.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
20
The majority of each study session will be spent engaging in music therapy: playing live music with a music therapist with the help of an occupational therapist. At the beginning and end of each session subjects will complete 2 assessments.
New York University School of Medicine
New York, New York, United States
Star Cancellation Test and Picture Scanning Test (from the Behavioral Inattention Test (BIT)
54 targets dispersed amongst 75 distractors. Patients are asked to cross out all of the small stars within the field, placed at midline, using a pen.
Time frame: 1 Day
Picture Scanning Test (PST)
3 large color photos that depict: (1) a meal on a dish, (2) a wash basin and toiletries, (3) a large window flanked by sundry objects. Participant is asked to name and point to the main items see in the picture.
Time frame: 1 Day
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