Music-in-Medicine at MD Anderson

“Music can heal the wounds that medicine cannot touch.”
https://www.mdanderson.org/patients-family/diagnosis-treatment/patient-support/music-in-medicine-initiative.html

MUSIC-IN-MEDICINE INITIATIVE

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has a reputation for advancing clinical standards through innovative research. Mei Rui, D.M.A., assistant professor of Neurosurgery and director of Music-in-Medicine, is doing exactly that. An internationally award-winning pianist, Dr. Rui has performed in prestigious venues throughout the world, including a season-opening recital at Louvre Auditorium, and collaborated with renowned artists like Itzhak Perlman and Emanuel Ax. 

Dr. Rui studies the impact of music on neurophysiological mechanisms and other bio-measurables in various clinical settings. Her research relies on evidence-based, music-selection methodologies to affect levels of stress, pain and much more. She also helps health care providers mitigate burnout and enhance their empathy through music. Building upon her expertise and the growing interest in this specialized field, Dr. Rui established MD Anderson’s Music-in-Medicine Initiative. 

Music has proven to be a safe, low-cost and effective way to enhance wellness. Listening to relaxing classical music for just 30 minutes can significantly reduce blood pressure, heart rate and levels of stress hormones and inflammatory molecules detected in the blood. The initiative's specific goals include: 

• Reducing stress, pain and anxiety before, during and after surgery
• Improving sleep and promoting neurological recovery 
• Enhancing the performance of providers in the operating room, including the surgeon 

The Music-in-Medicine Initiative is also a vehicle to pursue clinical trials exploring the applications and benefits of music for patients, caregivers and providers. Recently, Dr. Rui designed a clinical trial that uses proteomics to evaluate how listening to a simulated, live piano concert may benefit awake craniotomy patients and surgeons — evaluating metrics like intraoperative stress, pain and sedative requirements. Another study uses state-of-the-art neurotechnology, including EEG and fMRI, to assess music-induced changes in brain connectivity. The goal is to promote oxygenated blood flow to critical brain regions associated with emotional regulation, empathy and executive control. 

Concerts in The Park, a monthly performance series featuring eminent artists from around the globe, and Musicare, a one-on-one bedside concert series for patients, are two ways we are delivering the profound healing impact of live music to those in critical need for a dose of comfort, beauty and normalcy. 

Philanthropy is key to expanding and sustaining these efforts, especially as clinical support becomes more in demand. To the many patients who are sure to benefit from this programming, the Music-in-Medicine Initiative is music to their ears.