Music as an auditory stimulus in stroke patients.

Auditory stimulation increases mean blood flow velocity (MBFV) in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) in healthy individuals. Our aim was to monitor such changes in the affected MCA of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The study included 66 non-thrombolysed patients with AIS who were divided into groups according to National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score. Group I consisted of patients with NIHSS score 10 and group II with NIHSS score > or =11. Affected MCA was insonated with transcranial Doppler (TCD). MCA MBFVs were monitored during listening to music for 30 minutes. The first response of MBFV increase was measured as time (Tmax) and percentage of amplitude change (Amax). Pearson Chi-Square test was used. In 78.85% of patients there was a significant increase in MBFV compared to baseline values as a reaction to the music. There was no significant difference in Tmax or Amax between the two groups. However, a trend of longer Tmax was observed with every 2 NIHSS score increase. Music is an auditory stimulus in stroke patients and can be measured with TCD as MCA MBFV increase. Although our study showed no significant change of reaction time with the severity of stroke, a trend of prolonged Tmax was observed with NIHSS score increase.