@article {2024, title = {New advances and novel applications of music technologies for health, well-being, and inclusion Front. Comput. Sci. 6:1358454. doi: 10.3389/fcomp.2024.1358454}, journal = {Frontiers in Computer Science}, volume = {6:1358454}, year = {2024}, month = {01/2024}, keywords = {accessibility, Digital Musical Instruments, healthcare, multimodal interaction, music technology, Music Therapy, sound and music, wellbeing}, doi = {doi:10.3389/fcomp.2024.1358454}, author = {Emma Frid and Kjetil Falkenberg and Kat Agres and Alex Lucas} } @article {2023, title = {Intra- and inter-brain coupling and activity dynamics during improvisational music therapy with a person with dementia: an explorative EEG-hyperscanning single case study}, journal = {Frontiers in Psychology: Cognitive Science}, volume = {14:1155732}, year = {2023}, month = {09/2023}, abstract = {Objective: Real-life research into the underlying neural dynamics of improvisational music therapy, used with various clinical populations, is largely lacking. This single case study explored within-session differences in musical features and in within- and between-brain coupling between a Person with Dementia (PwD) and a music therapist during a music therapy session. Methods: Dual-EEG from a music therapist and a PwD (male, 31 years) was recorded. Note density, pulse clarity and synchronicity were extracted from audio-visual data. Three music therapists identified moments of interest and no interest (MOI/MONI) in two drum improvisations. The Integrative Coupling Index, reflecting time-lagged neural synchronization, and musical features were compared between the MOI and MONI. Results: Between-brain coupling of 2 Hz activity was increased during the MOI, showing anteriority of the therapist{\textquoteright}s neural activity. Within-brain coupling for the PwD was stronger from frontal and central areas during the MOI, but within-brain coupling for the therapist was stronger during MONI. Differences in musical features indicated that both acted musically more similar to one another during the MOI. Conclusion: Within-session differences in neural synchronization and musical features highlight the dynamic nature of music therapy. Significance: The findings contribute to a better understanding of social and affective processes in the brain and (interactive) musical behaviors during specific moments in a real-life music therapy session. This may provide insights into the role of such moments for relational-therapeutic processes.}, keywords = {brain coupling, dementia, EEG, improv, Music Therapy}, doi = {doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1155732}, author = {Clemens Maidhof and Viktor M{\"u}ller and Olivier Lartillot and Kat Agres and Jodie Bloska and Rie Asano and Helen Odell-Miller and J{\"o}rg Fachner} }