Group Singing for Stroke Patients

Overseen By Joanne Loewy, DA

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 24

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how group singing can help people who have had a stroke. The goal is to determine if singing with others improves speech, mood, and quality of life. Participants will either join a singing group or continue with standard care for comparison. It is open to anyone who has experienced a stroke, regardless of severity. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to explore innovative rehabilitation methods and contribute to understanding their potential benefits.

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that communal singing is safe for stroke patients?

Research has shown that singing in a group is generally safe and well-liked by stroke patients. Group singing is often used in music-based treatments, which can aid in recovering movement after brain injuries. No major safety issues have been reported. In fact, community singing programs have reduced symptoms of depression by 40%.

Overall, singing in a group appears to be a safe and enjoyable activity for stroke patients. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Unlike standard treatments for stroke recovery, which often include medication and speech therapy, communal singing offers a unique, non-pharmacological approach. Researchers are excited about this method because it combines music's therapeutic benefits with social interaction, potentially enhancing mood, reducing symptoms of aphasia, and improving overall quality of life. This approach taps into alternative neural pathways to aid language recovery, making it a promising complementary option for stroke patients.

What evidence suggests that communal singing might be an effective treatment for stroke?

This trial will compare the effects of communal singing with a control group for stroke patients. Research has shown that group singing can be a helpful treatment for stroke patients. Studies have found that music therapy, such as singing, can lift mood, improve social interaction, and assist with language problems like aphasia. One study discovered that joining a community choir boosted mood and social connections for people with aphasia after a stroke. Another study suggested that music can aid recovery by enhancing movement, thinking skills, and emotional well-being. Overall, singing together provides a supportive setting that may improve recovery and quality of life for stroke survivors. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Joanne Loewy, DA

Principal Investigator

Beth Israel Medical Center

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for stroke survivors of any severity and their personal caregivers. There are no specific exclusion criteria, meaning it's quite open to anyone who has experienced a stroke.

Inclusion Criteria

You have had a stroke, no matter how severe it was.

Exclusion Criteria

Not applicable.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Music Therapy

Participants in the study group will join the choir and participate in a weekly hour rehearsal for six months

6 months

24 sessions (in-person or virtual)

Control

The control group will not participate in the choir for the first six months

6 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in aphasia, language, mood, and quality of life after the intervention

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Communal singing

Trial Overview

The study is testing the effects of communal singing as a form of music therapy. Participants will be split into two groups: one will engage in group singing sessions for six months, while the other receives standard post-stroke care.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Communal singing Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants in the study group will join the choir and participate in a weekly hour rehearsal for six months and will be assessed for aphasia, mood, and quality of life outcomes

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

The control group will not participate in the choir for the first six months. At the end of the six months study period, all participants will be evaluated again for changes in aphasia, language, mood and quality of life

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Lead Sponsor

Trials

933

Recruited

579,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

In a study involving 28 stroke patients undergoing early rehabilitation, both synchronized and turn-based music therapy improved fine motor skills and mood, indicating the effectiveness of music-supported therapy in recovery.

Patients who played in turn showed greater improvements in fine motor skills, possibly due to the opportunity to learn from observing their partner, suggesting that the social aspect of music therapy can enhance rehabilitation outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Music-supported motor training after stroke reveals no superiority of synchronization in group therapy. Van Vugt, FT., Ritter, J., Rollnik, JD., et al.[2021]

In a study of 45 ischemic stroke patients, music therapy significantly improved recovery in motor, speech, and autonomic functions compared to standard rehabilitation exercises.

The positive effects of music therapy suggest that it may enhance neuroplasticity, which is the brain's ability to reorganize and adapt after injury.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Music therapy as an effective method of neurorehabilitation]. Yakupov, EZ., Nalbat, AV., Semenova, MV., et al.[2018]

In a study of 18 post-stroke patients, music therapy significantly reduced depressive symptoms, as indicated by a notable decrease in Beck Depression Inventory scores, compared to a control group.

Patients and caregivers reported high satisfaction levels with the music therapy program, suggesting it is a beneficial intervention for improving mood in post-stroke recovery.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of music therapy on mood in stroke patients. Kim, DS., Park, YG., Choi, JH., et al.[2021]

Choral singing therapy (CST) is perceived by individuals with stroke and Parkinson's disease as an enjoyable way to improve mood, communication, and overall quality of life, addressing their unmet needs.

Participation in CST helps individuals self-manage symptoms related to their conditions, such as social isolation and communication difficulties, suggesting it could be a valuable addition to rehabilitation programs.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Choral singing therapy following stroke or Parkinson's disease: an exploration of participants' experiences. Fogg-Rogers, L., Buetow, S., Talmage, A., et al.[2019]

Group singing may help people with Parkinson's disease synchronize their movements to musical rhythms, potentially improving their motor skills and overall quality of life.

The practice is hypothesized to create feelings of connectedness and flow, which could enhance rhythmic entrainment during and after singing, leading to better emotional processing and reduced motor timing deficits.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Conceptualizing how group singing may enhance quality of life with Parkinson's disease. Buetow, SA., Talmage, A., McCann, C., et al.[2014]

A study involving 54 patients with chronic aphasia showed that a 4-month group-based singing intervention significantly improved communication and speech production compared to standard care, with benefits lasting up to 9 months.

The singing intervention also enhanced social participation for patients and reduced caregiver burden, indicating positive effects on both patients' and caregivers' psychosocial well-being.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Efficacy of a multicomponent singing intervention on communication and psychosocial functioning in chronic aphasia: a randomized controlled crossover trial. Siponkoski, ST., Pitkäniemi, A., Laitinen, S., et al.[2023]

An 8-week community-based rehabilitation program using rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) significantly improved the range of motion and flexibility in 16 stroke survivors compared to a control group of 17 who received standard care.

Participants in the RAS intervention also reported enhanced mood and better quality of interpersonal relationships, highlighting the program's potential benefits beyond physical rehabilitation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of a theory-driven music and movement program for stroke survivors in a community setting. Jeong, S., Kim, MT.[2016]

In a study of 92 patients with post-stroke depression, the combination of five phase music therapy, acupoint needling, and acupoint injection significantly improved depression symptoms more than standard treatment with sertraline, as shown by greater reductions in Hamilton's depression scale (HAMD-17) scores.

Patients receiving the music therapy also experienced fewer side effects compared to those on standard medication, indicating that this combined approach may be a safer and more effective option for managing post-stroke depression.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of music therapy derived from the five elements in Traditional Chinese Medicine on post-stroke depression. Lin, F., Gu, Y., Wu, Y., et al.[2020]

In a pilot trial with 38 stroke patients, those who received relational active music therapy alongside standard rehabilitation showed significant improvements in reducing anxiety and depression compared to the control group, which only received standard care.

The experimental group also experienced a notable increase in grip strength of the non-dominant hand, highlighting the potential of music therapy to enhance motor functions in stroke rehabilitation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Active music therapy approach for stroke patients in the post-acute rehabilitation. Raglio, A., Zaliani, A., Baiardi, P., et al.[2018]

A study involving 20 hemiplegic stroke patients showed that mental singing while walking significantly improved gait ability, as evidenced by better scores in the 10-Meter Walk Test and Timed Up and Go test after the intervention.

Participants also experienced notable enhancements in gait cadence, stride length, and velocity, suggesting that mental singing can be an effective therapeutic strategy for improving walking in stroke patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Immediate Effects of Mental Singing While Walking on Gait Disturbance in Hemiplegic Stroke Patients: A Feasibility Study. Lee, SY., Seok, H., Kim, SH., et al.[2022]

Music can significantly enhance general mobility and social interaction in stroke patients, particularly when using music with a tempo of 58 to 63 beats per minute during movement activities.

The study suggests that music not only aids physical movement but may also improve emotional stability in stroke patients, highlighting its potential role in rehabilitation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Observations on the use of music in rehabilitation of stroke patients. Cross, P., McLellan, M., Vomberg, E., et al.[2009]

Citations

1.

clinicaltrials.gov

clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02328573

The Impact of Group Singing on Patients With Stroke and ...

The study will focus on the impact of communal singing on patients with stroke and their personal caregivers. Forty post-stroke patients will be randomly ...

2.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9847537/

Efficacy of a multicomponent singing intervention on ...

Music is a versatile and effective rehabilitation tool, which can support motor, cognitive and emotional recovery after stroke but which has thus far not been ...

3.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9217607/

Potential Benefits of Music Therapy on Stroke Rehabilitation

Music therapy can help attenuate dysphagia and aphasia, improve cognition and motor function, alleviate negative moods, and accelerate neurological recovery in ...

4.

researchgate.net

researchgate.net/publication/250919185_'Stroke_a_Chord'_The_effect_of_singing_in_a_community_choir_on_mood_and_social_engagement_for_people_living_with_aphasia_following_a_stroke

(PDF) 'Stroke a Chord': The effect of singing in a community ...

'Stroke a Chord': The effect of singing in a community choir on mood and social engagement for people living with aphasia following a stroke.

5.

sciencedirect.com

sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2451865424000875

Music therapy with adults in the subacute phase after stroke

We hypothesise that NMT techniques targeting motor and cognitive outcomes will lead to increased self-reported overall motivation as compared to a period of no ...

6.

withpower.com

withpower.com/trial/phase-stroke-3-2014-7c018

Group Singing for Stroke Patients · Info for Participants

What prior data suggests that communal singing is safe for stroke patients? Research shows that singing in a group is generally safe and well-received by ...

7.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11677499/

Exploring Music-Based Interventions for Executive ...

The latest Cochrane review on MBIs for persons with acquired brain injuries found that music interventions are beneficial to motor recovery, ...

8.

clinicaltrial.be

clinicaltrial.be/en/details/74419?per_page=20&only_recruiting=0&enrolling_by_invitation=1&active_not_recruiting=1&completed=0&only_eligible=0&only_active=0

The Impact of Group Singing on Patients With Stroke and T...

The study will focus on the impact of communal singing on patients with stroke and their personal caregivers. Forty post-stroke patients ...

9.

scienceopen.com

scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.15212/bioi-2025-0074

Application of Music Therapy in Stroke Rehabilitation

Value of community rehabilitation models​​ Community-based group singing programs have been found to improve depressive symptoms by 40% and ...