#10 — CLINICAL & THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS
How Sound Is Used in Healthcare
INTRODUCTION
Clinical and therapeutic applications of sound and vibration have been studied across a wide range of healthcare settings. Research has examined music, sound and vibration interventions in areas including pain management, surgery, cancer care, dementia, critical care and other clinical conditions.
These studies provide evidence of how sound-based interventions have been investigated as part of clinical care and what effects researchers have observed on physical, psychological and physiological outcomes.
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH & PUBLISHED STUDIES
Music Listening in Medicine and Healthcare: A Scoping Review
This 2026 review examined 63 randomized controlled trials published from 2020–2025 involving music listening in clinical and medical populations. It mapped the use of music across diverse healthcare settings and found that music listening has been investigated for outcomes including anxiety, pain, stress, mood and physiological responses. The authors also identified substantial differences in how interventions were designed and reported, indicating the need for better standardization and stronger clinical research.
The effectiveness of music therapy for patients with cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 19 randomized controlled trials involving 1,548 patients with cancer found that music therapy improved overall quality of life and reduced anxiety, depression and pain compared with standard care.
Effects of music therapy on delirium, clinical outcomes, and psychological and sleep outcomes in adult ICU patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis
A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis of 15 randomized controlled trials involving 1,552 ICU patients found that music therapy significantly reduced delirium incidence and ICU length of stay, with additional improvements in sleep, depression and anxiety. The review found high-quality evidence for reductions in delirium incidence and ICU length of stay.
Gamma frequency sensory stimulation in mild probable Alzheimer's dementia patients: Results of feasibility and pilot studies
A randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study of 40 Hz light and sound stimulation in patients with mild probable Alzheimer’s dementia found that three months of daily stimulation produced 40 Hz neural entrainment and was associated with less hippocampal atrophy and ventricular dilation, increased functional connectivity, better delayed face-name recall, and improved daily activity rhythms.
The Impact of Brain Auditory Stimulation in the Gamma Band on Cognitive Functions in Early-stage Alzheimer Patients
A 2026 controlled study of 30 people with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease found that 30 sessions of 40 Hz auditory stimulation over three weeks significantly improved visuospatial working memory and cognitive flexibility, while also increasing frontal gamma activity.
The Sound of Memory: Investigating Music Therapy's Cognitive Benefits in Patients with Dementia—A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
A 2024 network meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials involving 1,056 people with dementia found that several forms of music therapy significantly improved cognitive function, including rhythmic music therapy, active music therapy combined with singing, and active music therapy.
Systematic review and meta-analysis reveal positive therapeutic effects of music in brain damage rehabilitation
A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis of 90 studies found beneficial effects of music-based interventions in rehabilitation following brain damage, including stroke and traumatic brain injury, with particularly positive effects on gait and additional benefits in cognitive, communicative and psychosocial recovery.
Effects of music-based movement therapy on motor function, balance, gait, mental health, and quality of life for patients with Parkinson's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 17 studies involving 598 people with Parkinson’s disease found that music-based movement therapy significantly improved motor function, balance, freezing of gait, walking velocity and mental health.
Music therapy interventions on symptom management in adults with advanced cancer – multisession longitudinal impact: systematic review
A 2026 systematic review of six controlled trials involving 438 adults with advanced cancer in palliative or end-of-life care found significant reductions in anxiety across all included studies, along with improvements in specific measures of spiritual well-being, emotional well-being, pain and sleep quality.
Effects of therapeutic instrumental music performance on upper limb motor function of children with cerebral palsy: A systematic review
A 2025 systematic review of eight studies found that therapeutic instrumental music performance improved upper-limb motor function in children with cerebral palsy, including both fine and gross motor abilities.
Impact of Active Versus Receptive Music Interventions on Psychosocial and Neurological Outcomes in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review
A 2025 systematic review of 15 studies involving 623 people with multiple sclerosis examined music interventions for neurological and psychosocial outcomes, including gait, balance, fatigue, dexterity, cognition, mood and quality of life. The evidence showed potential benefits across several of these areas, particularly for movement-related outcomes.
Music-based interventions improve gait function in stroke survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis
A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis of 12 studies involving 388 stroke survivors found that music-based interventions improved gait speed and stride length, with additional improvement in step frequency. The authors concluded that these interventions show promise for post-stroke gait rehabilitation, while noting that the overall evidence remains limited by small sample sizes and study heterogeneity.
Music-based interventions improve gait function in stroke survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis
A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis of 12 studies involving 388 stroke survivors found that music-based interventions improved gait speed and stride length, with additional improvement in step frequency. The authors concluded that these interventions show promise for post-stroke gait rehabilitation, while noting that the overall evidence remains limited by small sample sizes and study heterogeneity.
Effects of Music Therapy on Physiological Indicators and Subjective Comfort in Patients Undergoing Large Medical Imaging Examinations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis of 9 randomized controlled trials found that music therapy during medical imaging examinations significantly reduced heart rate and anxiety and improved examination cooperation. The review supports music as a clinical aid for improving patient comfort and cooperation during diagnostic imaging, although some outcomes showed substantial heterogeneity.