Stimulating neuroplasticity: Therapeutic applications of an extended digital musical instrument

Abstract

Introduction: Music therapy has been widely applied to aid individuals both psycho-logically and physically, including as rehabilitation training for stroke patients.Recently, the use of novel technologies such as Digital Musical Instruments (DMIs)and Virtual Reality (VR) has become more common in this field. To broaden theapplication of music therapy with these technologies to neurological patients, it isimportant to understand their effects on the brain.Method: The aim of this propositional study is to present a quantitative evaluation ofbrain network changes, using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), occurringin individuals who used an XR-based Extended DMI (EDMI), namely, BehCreative.BehCreative is an immersive EDMI that provides sound and visual feedback based onthe user’s body movements. Five healthy individuals underwent ten training sessionswith BehCreative and resting-state fMRI scans (before the first and after the last session).Results: Functional connectivity changes between those scans were examined.A strengthened connection between brain areas associated with movement andaudiovisual feedback processing was identified, possibly associated with an increasein motivation and cognitive engagement during audio-visual tasks. In general, con-nectivity changes pointed to an increase in arousal in the tested subjects, which mayhave been linked to the activation of the reward system during the use of the EDMI.Discussion: These results are in line with our initial hypothesis, which was thattraining with BehCreative stimulates the neuroplasticity of the reward system. Thisstudy builds upon our previous research, on the therapeutic potential of DMIs.