Music Listening for Stroke

(IML Trial)

Overseen By Pablo Ripolles, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: New York University

Disqualifiers: Significant hearing loss, Cognitive impairment, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 5

60 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores whether listening to music can improve the mental health of people recovering from a stroke. Participants will listen to either music or an audiobook for one hour each day for four weeks. The goal is to determine if music can positively affect mood, thinking, memory, and brain activity. Individuals who experienced a stroke at least six months ago and have good hearing might be suitable for this study. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative research that could enhance recovery options for stroke survivors.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

No, you don't have to stop taking your current medications. Participants can continue their medications and even start new ones during the study.

What prior data suggests that intentional music listening is safe for stroke survivors?

Research has shown that listening to music is generally safe and well-tolerated for people recovering from a stroke. In past studies, patients who listened to music daily improved in their recovery without major side effects. These studies found that music can boost mood and mental health after a stroke.

One study suggested that listening to music is practical and acceptable for stroke patients, as people are willing to try it and continue with it. This method seems promising for aiding emotional and mental recovery. The trials reviewed reported no serious negative effects from music listening.

Overall, evidence suggests that listening to music is a safe way to support mental health in stroke survivors. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the potential of music listening for stroke recovery because it offers a non-invasive, drug-free approach to improving mental health and cognitive function. Unlike standard treatments that often rely on medication or physical therapy, intentional music listening could enhance mood and mental well-being through daily engagement with music, activating emotional and cognitive brain pathways in a unique way. This method also allows for personalized therapy, as patients can choose music that resonates with them personally, potentially increasing motivation and adherence. Additionally, the use of music for rehabilitation is accessible and cost-effective, making it a promising complementary option to existing therapies.

What evidence suggests that intentional music listening might be an effective treatment for stroke recovery?

Research has shown that intentional music listening can improve mental health in people recovering from a stroke. In this trial, participants in the Intentional Music Listening group will engage in daily music sessions. Studies have found that this practice can enhance memory and cognitive skills, particularly in recall and spatial awareness. It also appears to improve emotional well-being, which is crucial during recovery. Listening to music aids both mental and emotional healing. While more research is needed, these findings suggest that music can be a powerful tool in stroke recovery. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Pablo Ripolles, PhD

Principal Investigator

New York University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals recovering from a stroke who are interested in exploring how music or audiobook listening might aid their mental health. Participants should be able to attend four sessions and commit to daily hour-long listening at home for four weeks.

Inclusion Criteria

I am between 50 and 90 years old.

I had a stroke more than six months ago.

Exclusion Criteria

Contraindications for MRI

Significant cognitive impairment, defined as a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA; Nasreddine et al., 2005) score below 22 (unless the lower score is attributable to expressive aphasia)

Specific musical anhedonia, defined as a score below 60 on the Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire (BMRQ; Mas-Herrero et al., 2013)

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Pre-intervention

Participants undergo a 4-week period to assess the stability of outcome measures without treatment

4 weeks

1 visit (in-person)

Intervention

Participants engage in 1-hour daily listening sessions of either music or audiobooks for mental health recovery

4 weeks

3 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after the intervention, with assessments of mental health and cognition

3 months

1 visit (in-person)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Intentional Music Listening

Trial Overview The study compares the effects of intentional music listening versus audiobook listening on emotional well-being, cognition, and brain activity in stroke survivors. It involves daily sessions, assessments with questionnaires, cognitive tasks, and MRI scans over a month.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Intentional Music Listening Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Stroke patients assigned to the Intentional Music Listening group will participate in a 4-week intervention, in which participants will engage in one hour of music listening per day and complete daily self-reports on mood and control measures. Baseline, pre-, and post-intervention evaluations will assess clinical outcomes through behavioral measures of mental health and cognition. Pre- and post-intervention evaluations will also include biomarker assessments (MRI and physiological measures). The follow-up session will assess clinical outcomes only.

Group II: Audiobook Listening Active Control 1 Intervention

Stroke patients assigned to the Audiobook Listening group will participate in a 4-week intervention, in which participants will engage in one hour of audiobook listening per day and complete daily self-reports on mood and control measures. Baseline, pre-, and post-intervention evaluations will assess clinical outcomes through behavioral measures of mental health and cognition. Pre- and post-intervention evaluations will also include biomarker assessments (MRI and physiological measures). The follow-up session will assess clinical outcomes only.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

New York University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

249

Recruited

229,000+

Citations

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

Potential Benefits of Music Therapy on Stroke Rehabilitation Overall, studies have demonstrated that music therapy in rehabilitation of stroke can help improve dysphagia, enhance the effect of limb motor exercise training ...

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1744388124000586

Effects of personalized music listening on post-stroke ... Personalized music listening was found to promote the recovery of cognitive and neurological functions, particularly delayed recall and orientation. •.

3. bmjopen.bmj.com bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/9/e109467

Remote intentional music listening intervention to support ... This trial will provide essential data to inform the design of future large-scale clinical studies of IML for poststroke mental health recovery. Ethics and ...

4. eneuro.org eneuro.org/content/8/4/ENEURO.0158-21.2021

Vocal Music Listening Enhances Poststroke Language ... In stroke patients, daily music listening during the subacute poststroke stage has been found beneficial for improving cognitive and emotional ...

5. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2021.641023/full

The Effectiveness of Music Therapy on Hand Function in ... Based on the results, music-supported therapy could be a useful treatment for improving hand function and activities of daily living in patients with stroke.

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12458625/

Remote intentional music listening intervention to support ... Poststroke depression affects approximately 30% of stroke survivors and is linked to worse functional outcomes, cognitive decline, reduced quality of life ...

7. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07127159

Music Listening for Mental Health Recovery After Stroke (IML) This study aims to explore whether listening to music intentionally can support the mental health of people recovering from a stroke.

8. journals.sagepub.com journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1747493019841250

A pilot randomized controlled trial of mindful music listening Mindful music listening is feasible and acceptable post-stroke. Music listening interventions appear to be a promising approach to improving recovery from ...

9. medrxiv.org medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.15.25333806v1.full.pdf

Feasibility Trial Protocol for a Remote Intentional Music ... This trial will provide essential data to inform the design of future large-scale clinical studies of IML for post-stroke mental health recovery ...

10. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/313038479_Does_listening_to_music_in_acute_stroke_improve_outcomes_A_single-blinded_quasi-randomized_pilot_study

Does listening to music in acute stroke improve outcomes ... Evidence indicates that daily listening to music can improve outcomes in patients recovering from a recent stroke.