The Role of Music Therapy in Stroke Rehabilitation: How Rhythms Can Retrain the Brain (2025)

Recovering from a stroke is a long and often challenging journey, requiring a varied approach. While it has typically involved physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, there is now a new and emerging field: music therapy. Music has long been known for its ability to help with emotions and provide cognitive stimulation and motor coordination. However, in recent years, research has shown its huge impact on brain plasticity, particularly in stroke recovery. By leveraging rhythm, melody and harmony, music therapy can retrain the brain, helping stroke survivors regain mobility, and improve speech and emotional well-being.

In Australia, strokes are aleading cause of disability, affecting thousands of people each year.

There are two primary types of stroke:

• Ischaemic Stroke: The most common type, occurring when a blood clot blocks an artery supplying the brain.
• Haemorrhagic Stroke: Caused by high blood pressure, or hypertension.

The effects of a stroke vary depending on where it occurs and the severity of the brain injury. Some common impairments include:

• Motor Deficits: Weakness or paralysis, particularly on one side of the body.
• Speech and Language Difficulties: Aphasia (difficulty speaking or understanding language) or dysarthria (slurred speech).
• Cognitive Impairments: Problems with memory, attention and problem-solving.
• Emotional and Psychological Challenges: Anxiety, depression and mood swings due to brain damage and lifestyle changes.

The human brain is amazing! It can rewire itself by forming new neural connections, allowing people to regain their ability to walk, talk and use all damaged areas after a stroke. Known as neuroplasticity, rehabilitation focuses on repetitive exercises to strengthen existing pathways or create new ones.
Music therapy plays a unique role in this process by engaging multiple brain areas simultaneously, which makes it a powerful tool in stroke recovery.

Music therapy is carried out by qualified music therapists who tailor sessions to an individual's needs, whether for improving mobility, speech, cognition, or emotional well-being. Rather than just sitting and listening to music, it involves active engagement, encouraging stroke survivors to participate in rhythmic exercises, singing, or playing instruments to stimulate brain function and motor control.

Different elements of music—rhythm, melody and harmony—activate various brain regions at the same time. This engagement promotes neuroplasticity. Here’s how it can help in different areas of stroke rehabilitation.

Many stroke survivors experience motor impairments, such as weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, making walking, grasping objects, or maintaining balance challenging.

• Rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) synchronises movement with a beat, improving gait speed, step length of the affected side and balance.
• Engaging in drumming or playing simple instruments can retrain fine motor skills, helping with grasping and hand-eye coordination.

Aphasia is a common stroke-related condition that affects the ability to speak, understand, read, or write.

• Melodic intonation therapy (MIT)encourages stroke survivors to use singing to improve language in those with aphasia after a stroke.
• Call-and-response singing encourages verbal interaction, improving intonation, fluency, and confidence in communication.

Finally, stroke recovery isn’t just physical. Many stroke survivors experience depression, anxiety, and loss of motivation due to the life changes they face.

• Listening to enjoyable music stimulates the release of dopamine, improving mood and reducing feelings of frustration or helplessness.
• Participating in group singing or drumming sessions provides social interaction and emotional support, reducing isolation and loneliness.

Music therapy is steadily gaining traction in Australia’s healthcare system, particularly in stroke rehabilitation, as research highlights its benefits. Hospitals such as The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney, and Austin Health in Victoriahave integrated music therapy into their rehabilitation programs. Universities such as theUniversity of Melbourne and the University of Sydney are leading research and conducting trials. As a result, music therapy is becoming a more recognised component of holistic stroke care, complementing traditional rehabilitation methods.

Despite these advancements, there’s still a big lack of awareness among healthcare professionals, which means that many stroke survivors are not referred to music therapy as part of their rehabilitation plan. Plus access remains a challenge, particularly in rural and regional areas where specialist music therapists are scarce. Funding is another issue, with music therapy not yet universally covered by Medicare, leaving many patients reliant on private health insurance or out-of-pocket payments. Increased research funding, greater education for medical professionals, and the creation of telehealth-based music therapy services could help bridge these gaps, ensuring that more stroke survivors across Australia can benefit from this innovative and effective approach to rehabilitation.

For those seeking music therapy, resources such as the Australian Music Therapy Association (AMTA), Stroke Foundation Australia and neurological rehabilitation centres offer guidance and access to certified music therapists. If you or a loved one is on the path to stroke recovery, exploring music therapy could be a valuable tool.