Jamie Foxx Attributes Daughter's Guitar Skills for Saving His Brain Function. A Medical Specialist Elucidates the Process
Jamie Foxx Attributes Daughter's Guitar Skills for Saving His Brain Function. A Medical Specialist Elucidates the Process
During his Netflix special "Whats Goin' On", Grammy Award winner Jamie Foxx courageously discussed his near-deadly brain hemorrhage in April 2023. He emphasized the life-altering influence of music on his healing process, particularly his daughter's skilled guitar playing. He described her music as his spiritual heart-starter, a vital component of his recovery journey. Her spontaneous guitar sessions by his bedside might've allowed her to tap into the art and science of Neurologic Music Therapy.
What is Neurologic Music Therapy
NMT, an innovative method that uses music's power, is designed to boost brain health, recovery, and development. Music's unique ability to engage and activate a vast array of brain centers and functions simultaneously, such as language, focus, memory, executive function, and mobility, makes it an influential tool. If a particular section of the brain is damaged or impaired, stimulating other regions can aide in compensation. Moreover, music can foster learning and skill mastery.
"I believe that Jamie Foxx's daughter's impromptu guitar performances and singing likely contributed significantly to his recovery. Since music engages the whole brain, different music aspects stimulate various areas. This could have provided a calming and stimulating effect," suggests Jeffrey Friedberg, a board-certified and licensed music therapist who runs Music for Life Creatives Arts Therapy LLC in Nyack, NY.
Jamie Foxx stated that his vital signs improved when his daughter played music by his bedside, leaving the medical staff perplexed.
"Additionally, the sound of his daughter's singing and playing along with her chosen songs might have reached his brain, even if he wasn't conscious," adds Friedberg.
With over 3,500 certified NMT-Therapists worldwide, music therapy is a growing, inclusive, and more accessible community. I have referred patients to MT for years, and they've found it beneficial. MT can be utilized in patients with traumatic brain injuries, dementia, Parkinson's disease, stroke, and various other neurodegenerative disorders. MT's accessibility even extends to children and young adults with intellectual disabilities, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder, using MT to foster their neurodevelopment. This global accessibility ensures that no one is excluded in the pursuit of better brain health.
MT has demonstrated a significant role in inducing neuroplasticity, a process that shapes and reshapes various parts of the brain to take on new functions. This is especially vital after brain damage or injury, as neuroplasticity aids in the recovery from stroke and amplifies performance in patients with movement disorders like Parkinson's disease.
Neurologic Music Therapy Applications
Strikingly, individuals with Alzheimer's disease often hold musical memories disproportionately to other types of memory. Music is deeply ingrained in our brains. Think about how quickly you can rejoin a song you haven't heard in years, recalling lyrics, rhythms, and even associated memories and emotions. For this reason, I often advise families of patients with Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia to play familiar music for the patient. Caregivers can use music to build connections and offer comfort and joy during caregiving.
Jamie Foxx isn't the first public figure to highlight music's rehabilitative benefits. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords utilized melodic intonation therapy, a form of NMT, to regenerate her language skills following a gunshot wound to the head that left her unable to speak. Her story highlights the power of music to promote neuroplasticity and shift where language abilities are represented in the brain, providing hope and optimism for those grappling with similar challenges.
Without a doubt, it wasn't solely music that enabled Jamie Foxx to have an extraordinary recovery. Jamie Foxx credited his family for promptly getting him to the hospital despite the initial misdiagnosis and the medical team at Piedmont Hospital for acting swiftly to diagnose and treat him.
While it was undoubtedly a cooperative effort that led to Jamie Foxx's current state, he was emphatic about his daughter's guitar playing playing a vital role in his recovery. He attributed this music to being what truly rejuvenated his spirit. The chamber music likely engaged his brain to preserve functioning, despite his unresponsive appearance. This heartening tale of recovery through music serves as a beacon of hope for those dealing with similar challenges.
Like other types of therapy, a successful MT strategy relies on focusing on the specific area of rehabilitation. It's not about simply leisurely listening to music tailored to a specific ailment. Music therapy involves stimulating our brains, fostering relationships through music, and employing music-related interventions based on the individual's unique circumstances and struggles. This personalized approach ensures that the therapy is custom-made for each patient, offering solace and encouragement.
When a dear one lands in the hospital due to a severe ailment, the atmosphere becomes filled with dread and uncertainty. The inundation of medical terminologies can make you feel powerless and baffled, leaving you in doubt if they'll pull through the ordeal. Equally daunting, a challenging neurological or incapacitating diagnosis can leave you feeling lost and unsure about the next steps. In the midst of this turmoil, it's crucial to keep in mind that music could serve as a potent aid in neurological recovery.
Music therapy, as you may know, is not only effective but also secure, cost-effective, and easily available. There's no need for permission from insurance firms prior to its use, and it doesn't come with any side effects. This makes it a comforting and trustworthy choice for those looking to boost brain health and rehabilitation, offering a sense of security amidst the uncertainty.
- In the case of Jamie Foxx, who experienced a brain bleed in 2023, melodic intonation therapy, a form of music therapy, could potentially be useful in rebuilding language skills, as demonstrated by Gabbie Giffords' recovery after her gunshot wound.
- Jeffrey Friedberg, a music therapist, believes that Jamie Foxx's daughter's impromptu guitar performances and singing significantly contributed to his recovery due to music's ability to engage the whole brain and stimulate various areas.
- During Gabbie Giffords' rehabilitation, she utilized melodic intonation therapy, a type of neurologic music therapy, to regenerate her language skills, showcasing the therapy's potential for promoting neuroplasticity and shifting language abilities in the brain.
- After suffering a stroke, patients can benefit from music therapy to induce neuroplasticity, a process that reshapes parts of the brain to take on new functions, aiding in recovery and enhancing performance in patients with movement disorders like Parkinson's disease.
- In the context of brain injuries or neurodegenerative disorders, music therapy can be an accessible and inclusive form of rehabilitation, fostering learning, skill mastery, and promoting positive neurodevelopment in children and young adults with intellectual disabilities, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder.