Michael H. Thaut教授   美国科罗拉多州立大学

　　<International Circulation>: Could you please introduce the techniques used in neurologic music therapy and how you apply them in your practice?

　　Prof. Michael H. Thaut: There are different approaches to music therapy. The traditional approach is more an interpretation of the music， including how the music makes you feel or think. We do not use that therapy. We use music as auditory language of the brain. Music engages the brain as an auditory-sensory language， all the way from the brain-stem-which processes the basic structure of sound-to the higher cognitive functions where we begin to understand how the music is put together. The basic techniques fall into three categories: movement therapy， cognitive rehabilitation， and speech and language rehabilitation. In movement， motor therapy， we use mostly rhythm to cue movement. The patients use music and rhythm as a time cue to synchronize and entrain their movements to the timing of the rhythm. That helps them to stabilize their movement， increase their speed， and allows for greater coordination and execution.

　　《国际循环》：您能否介绍一下神经音乐疗法所应用的技术？您在临床实践中是如何应用的？

　　Michael H. Thaut教授：有几种不同的音乐疗法。传统方法更多的是演绎音乐，注重的是治疗者对音乐的感觉和认识。我们并不采用这种治疗方法，而是将音乐作为大脑的听觉语言。音乐作为听觉-感觉语言进入大脑，在经过声音处理基本结构--脑干后达到高级认知功能区域，然后我们才理解音乐是如何整合在一起的。音乐疗法的基本方法分为三类，即运动疗法、认知康复及言语/语言康复。运动疗法中，我们大多采用节奏来引导运动，使音乐和节奏同步化，随着节奏进行运动。该疗法有助于稳定患者的运动，增加其运动速度，使其运动更协调，执行性更强。

　　<International Circulation>: Is that similar to a dance?

　　Prof. Michael H. Thaut: It is functional and dance is an art form. Patients who need to relearn how to walk， or how to reuse their arms again are a rhythm which helps reset their neuromuscular coordination. In speech and language， we know that music and language share a lot of the same brain areas and pathways. Those who have lost the ability to speak， aphasic patients， can actually sing. We use these alternative pathways that music offers to help retrain their speech and language abilities. In cognition， we deal with music as an auditory language in terms of how the structure of the music can train attention and perception in dementia patients. It can also be used to stimulate old memories. The ABC song is wonderful example in how music can structure non-musical information and turn it into a neat package to remember. That is music therapy in a nut-shell.

　　《国际循环》：这和跳舞是否一样呢？

　　Michael H. Thaut教授：该疗法注重的是功能，而跳舞注重的是艺术。需要重新学习如何走路或恢复其手臂功能的患者可选用有助于重新恢复其神经肌肉协调功能的节奏。就讲话和语言而言，我们知道音乐与语言共享很多大脑区域和通路。失语症患者实际上是能够唱歌的。我们可以应用音乐所提供的这些替代通路帮助患者重新训练其讲话及语言能力。就认知而言，我们将音乐视为一种能够训练老年痴呆症患者注意力及知觉的听觉语言。其还能被用于刺激旧回忆。字母歌就是一个阐释音乐能构建非音乐信息并将其转化为可记忆的数据包的很好的例子。简而言之，这就是音乐疗法。