The effect of musical activities on memory in patients with schizophrenia

Introduction: Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness usually accompany with memory impairment that leads to difficulty in independent living function. Some type of memory dysfunction could be treated by training; therefore this study was carried out with the aim of assessing the effect of musical activities on the memory of patients with schizophrenia.Materials and Methods: 56 patients, who were members of Iranian Association of Patients with Schizophrenia, randomly divided into two groups of 30 intervention groups and 26 control groups. The experimental group took part in 24 music therapy sessions. Memory scores were gathered using Wexler memory test and backward counting test board in the pretest and post test stages.Results: There was a significance difference in Post-test of Wexler memory test in both experimental and control groups. In control group, there was a slight increase in memory scores (P= 0.002), however, this increase was greater in the intervention group (P=0.0001). There was no significant difference between groups in post tests (P=0.53 in Wexler scale and P=0.83 in reversal counting test). Also, there was a significant decrease in backward counting test board score in the pretest and post test stages in experimental (P=0.002), but not control group (P=0.18)..Conclusion: Adjusted musical stimuli can enhance memory in patients with schizophrenia if alternative factors are controlled.