Music listening to address fatigue for acquired brain injury (ABI) survivors

Of 11,000 stroke survivors, 86% reported post-stroke fatigue (PSF) following their stroke (Stroke Association, 2019). There is a lack of evidence for effective interventions (Wu, et al., 2015).

Cognitive recovery may be linked to reducing PSF (MacIntosh, et al., 2017) and this has been significantly improved in subacute stroke inpatients comparing music listening with audiobook listening and standard care (no listening intervention) (Sarkamo, et al, 2008). Better relaxation has also been associated with music listening in this trial (Forsblom, 2010).

Music listening has shown benefits for cognition. Related studies reported a correlation with increased engagement in other activities, relaxation (55%) and enhanced mood and cognition (Baylan, et al, 2018; Baylan et al, 2016; Magee and Davidson, 2002).

We aim to recruit three stroke patients in subacute rehabilitation to co-design a music listening program, delivered by ward staff, collecting data on feasibility and treatment fidelity. The intervention and data collection period in a single case design will be ten weeks.

So far, NHS partners on this project have consulted patients on the wards, to incorporate their views on music listening and help co-design the listening protocol. We have Bluetooth headphones, iPads and streaming accounts, which we will set up for them to try, delivering daily preferred music listening bespoke to each patient over several weeks.

Research assistants will gather data on fatigue severity, cognition and mood before and after the listening periods, together with fidelity data to help inform a larger trial.

NHS partners

• Dr Sheryl Parke, Clinical Psychologist and Lecturer in Psychology for Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust, working at the Colman Centre for Specialist Rehabilitation Services, Norwich.
• Dr Fergus Gracey, Clinical Associate Professor, Senior Research Tutor, Honorary Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist (CPFT), Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychological Therapies, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich.
• Louise Gilbert, Lead Specialist Physiotherapist and Team Lead, Stroke Early Supported Discharge Team, Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust.
• Elissa Poyner, Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, Early Supported Discharge Team (ESD)/Beech Ward, Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust.