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Background/Objectives: Childhood hearing loss (HL) affects auditory, linguistic, and social development. Alongside conventional rehabilitation, music-based interventions have gained increasing attention for their potential to support both auditory and non-auditory domains. This narrative review aims to summarize current evidence on the use of music-based interventions in children with HL. Methods: A narrative review of the literature was conducted, examining studies involving pediatric cochlear implant or hearing aid users. Publications were categorized into three main areas: musical auditory perception, musical training, and music therapy. Results: Studies on musical auditory perception demonstrate persistent limitations in pitch and timbre perception in children with HL, while rhythmic abilities appear relatively preserved. Musical training interventions, particularly those targeting rhythm, have been associated with improvements in auditory perception, linguistic processing, and selected cognitive skills, although parental involvement and long-term designs remain limited. Existing literature on music therapy is scarce but suggests potential benefits extending beyond auditory skills to emotional regulation, social interaction, and quality of life. Conclusions: Music-based interventions represent a promising complementary approach in pediatric hearing rehabilitation. While musical training is more widely studied, music therapy is still underrepresented despite its holistic focus. Further structured studies are needed to define standardized protocols and outcome measures for music therapy in children with HL.

Recent studies suggest that prolonged participation in formal music programs may be associated with the cultivation of resilience and locus of control (LoC) in music students. Brazilian musicians, who were attending or had attended community-based music programs, and a group of matched, untrained individuals from disadvantaged, urban communities completed the Connor-Davidson Scale of Resilience (RISC), the Craig Locus of Control Scale, and the ABEP 2022-Brazilian Criteria of Economic Classification questionnaire. Results suggested that while musical participation alone was not associated with resilience and LoC scores (model 1), a conditional restriction of the same model (model 2) showed a significant interaction between musical participation, age, and RISC and LoC scores, after controlling for SES. Among musicians, higher age was associated with higher resilience scores and internal LoC. Findings from this exploratory study are discussed in light of the multifaceted nature of community-based music programs, the building blocks of resilience and LoC. We also comment on the potential links between resilience and LoC in relation to musical participation and well-being. Limitations of this study are discussed alongside implications for future research.

Patients hospitalized with a life-limiting illness, along with their loved ones, frequently experience anxiety, stress, and pain. Legacy building through storytelling and music may alleviate emotional strain and provide comfort. Musical Rounds is a novel music medicine program designed to reduce distress and support legacy building for adult patients receiving palliative care and their loved ones. This multisite, mixed-methods, pre-post feasibility study was conducted across 3 hospitals in California, USA. Participants engaged in live bedside recording sessions in which personal stories were shared with real-time musical improvisation provided by a clinician-musician. Afterward, participants received a personalized edited recording combining voice and improvised music. Pain, stress, anxiety, and comfort were assessed before and after each session using a 0-10 numeric rating scale. Perceived mood changes were assessed through directed qualitative content analysis. We invited 100 adult patients hospitalized with a life-limiting illness and their loved ones to participate. If patients were unable to respond, loved ones participated on their behalf. Patients (n&#xa0;=&#xa0;79) demonstrated statistically significant within-group differences between pre- and post-session assessments, including lower pain (-1.58, p&#xa0;<&#xa0;.001), stress (-2.89, p&#xa0;<&#xa0;.001), and anxiety (-2.73, p&#xa0;<&#xa0;.001), and higher comfort (+1.61, p&#xa0;<&#xa0;.001). Loved ones (n&#xa0;=&#xa0;42) reported lower stress (-3.14, p&#xa0;<&#xa0;.001) and anxiety (-2.86, p&#xa0;<&#xa0;.001), and higher comfort (+1.83, p&#xa0;=&#xa0;.004). Directed content analysis indicated perceived mood improvement in 59% (47/80) of patients and 68% (30/44) of loved ones. Musical Rounds, a personalized music and storytelling session for hospitalized patients with life-limiting illness and their loved ones, was associated with lower self-reported stress, pain (patients only), and anxiety, and higher comfort and perceived mood across 3 hospitals. Findings demonstrate the feasibility and suggest potential benefits of music medicine-supported legacy building in palliative care. Controlled studies with independent assessors are needed to further evaluate efficacy.

Music listening's role in mood regulation is widely documented, and visual imagery has been suggested as a key mechanism by which music influences listeners' affective states. However, evidence that music-evoked visual imagery can reduce negative affect is limited, and it remains unclear whether spontaneous and deliberate forms differ with regard to the effects they have. The current study thus combined probe-caught experience sampling methodology with electroencephalography and skin conductance measurements to explore the extent to which music-evoked visual imagery may play a role in stress reduction. In each of three blocks,&#xa0;thirty participants underwent a multicomponent stress induction task before experiencing one of&#xa0;three extended auditory tracks: a relaxing music track, a non-relaxing music track, or a radio show podcast (active control listening track). State anxiety was measured before stress induction, after stress induction, and after the presentation of the track. Importantly, during each track, instances and the rate of spontaneous, deliberate and no visual imagery were captured thanks to the probe-caught experience sampling method. Our findings show that music-evoked visual imagery is associated with enhanced stress reduction (as captured by self-report and physiological measures) beyond the role of the music's acoustic features. We also replicate and extend previous findings that visual imagery is associated with posterior alpha and fronto-central gamma suppression, and associate, for the first time, deliberate/spontaneous imagery with frontal theta suppression/enhancement. Taken together, our findings provide evidence that visual imagery has benefits for reducing anxiety and stress-related states and expand understanding of how neural correlates of music-evoked visual imagery may differ as a function of intentionality.

The integration of psychedelics and music in therapeutic settings is gaining recognition for its potential to enhance mental health outcomes. This review synthesizes current evidence on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying this synergy, focusing on receptor-level pathways (e.g., 5-HT2A receptor agonism, BDNF-TrkB signaling) and neural circuit dynamics (e.g., default mode network desynchronization, thalamo-cortical connectivity) that mediate psychedelic action and mu-sic-induced emotional processing. By examining how music, acting as a "hidden therapist," ampli-fies the emotional and cognitive effects of psychedelics, we elucidate the mechanistic interplay that fosters deep psychological insights and emotional healing. Several key areas have been addressed, such as the exploration of dynamic brain activity in realistic music environments, the micro-neural mechanisms underlying basic musical elements, and the development of quantitative techniques for music therapy aimed at improving sleep quality and alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression. Psychedelics increase neural plasticity and downregulate the default mode network, allowing music to guide emotional processing and facilitate profound therapeutic breakthroughs. The synergy be-tween music and psychedelics shows promise in treating conditions such as depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and addiction. The scientific contributions of this review include providing an integrated mechanistic framework for understanding psychedelic-music interactions and identifying key neurobiological targets for future therapeutic optimization. Future research should focus on optimizing therapeutic protocols and understanding the neurobiological mecha-nisms underlying this powerful combination to ensure its safe and effective integration into main-stream mental health care.

While the pain- and stress-reducing effects of music are well investigated, effects of visual art and the combination of both modalities (music and visual art) are much less explored. We tested the (1) pain- and (2) stress-reducing effects of a multimodal (music&#x2009;+&#x2009;visual art) aesthetic experience-expecting stronger effects than single modal aesthetic experiences (music or visual art)-and, in an exploratory manner, (3) investigated underlying mechanisms of aesthetic experience and (4) individual differences. In a repeated-measures design (music, visual art, multimodal aesthetic experience, control), 42 female participants submitted their self-selected movingly beautiful visual artworks and music pieces to the lab, where pain and stress were induced by a cold pressor test. Pain (global pain perception, pain intensity, pain affect, pain tolerance) and stress responses (subjective reports, autonomic [electrocardiography, electrodermal activity, salivary alpha-amylase] and endocrine activity [salivary cortisol]) were measured. Individual differences of the experience, trait empathy and absorption were investigated. Exposure to multimodal art resulted in longer pain tolerance (M&#x2009;=&#x2009;80.19s; SD&#x2009;=&#x2009;61.05) compared to visual art (M&#x2009;=&#x2009;56.63s; SD&#x2009;=&#x2009;47.86), but not compared to music (M&#x2009;=&#x2009;81.34s; SD&#x2009;=&#x2009;64.19; p&#x2009;<&#x2009;.001; &#x3b7;&#xb2;&#x2009;=&#x2009;.039). Other measures of pain intensity, stress intensity, and pain affect did not differ across the conditions. Exposure to all types of art distracted participants' attention from pain, prompted mind wandering, and elicited greater enjoyment than the control condition. While participants were overall more stressed during the cold pressor test, no differences emerged across the four conditions (p&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.38; &#x3b7;&#xb2;&#x2009;=&#x2009;.012). Also, no differences were found regarding cortisol and alpha-amylase. Regarding individual differences, higher trait absorption was associated with longer pain tolerance in the multimodal condition (b&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.58, SE&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.29, t(120)=2.02, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;.046) and with lower pain intensity in the music-only condition (b&#x2009;=&#x2009;-0.27, SE&#x2009;=&#x2009;0.12, t(120)=-2.20, p&#x2009;=&#x2009;.030), compared to the other conditions. In conclusion, exposure to art can influence pain; however, the underlying mechanisms require further research.

Prosocial behavior is a core element of social harmony, and implicit prosocial attitudes, which may outperform explicit assessments in predicting real-world behavior, underscore their unique utility in prosocial and moral research contexts. Moreover, red songs, a distinctive musical form emerging in specific revolutionary and developmental periods of China, align with this prosocial potential, as they are characterized by lyrics advocating patriotism, collective memory, and emotional resonance. However, the specific effect of red songs on implicit prosocial attitudes, as well as the potential moderating role of music training experience in this relationship, remains underexplored. This study aimed to explore whether red songs enhance implicit prosocial attitudes compared to neutral songs, whether music training modulates this effect, and the underlying neural correlates using the Single-Category Implicit Association Test (SC-IAT) and event-related potentials (ERPs). A mixed-factorial design was used with 60 college students (30 with &#x2265;5 years of music training, 30 without). Participants completed the SC-IAT (measuring implicit prosocial D-scores) while EEG data were recorded, while listening to red ("China in the Lantern Light") and neutral ("Lake Baikal") songs. ERP components (N1, P2, N3, LPCs) were analyzed. Behaviorally, no significant main effects of song type or music training were observed, but a significant interaction emerged (F(1, 58) = 4.09, p = 0.04): the music training group showed higher D-scores under red songs (M = 0.35, SD = 0.32) than neutral songs (M = 0.15, SD = 0.51), while the non-music training group exhibited the opposite non-significant trend. Neurally, repeated measures ANOVAs revealed a significant main effect of electrode site for N1 (F(4, 212) = 48.63, p < 0.001, partial &#x3b7;2 = 0.48), with the largest amplitudes at FCz. Red songs elicited larger N1 amplitudes than neutral songs at Fz and FCz, and incongruent trials elicited larger N1 amplitudes at Pz. For P2, a main effect of condition was found (F(1, 52) = 7.02, p = 0.01), with larger amplitudes in incongruent trials, and a significant three-way interaction of song type, condition, and electrode site (F(4, 208) = 4.46, p = 0.006), with larger P2 amplitudes for red songs under incongruent trials at Fz. For N3, main effects of song type (F(1, 53) = 14.48, p < 0.001) and stimulus type (F(2, 106) = 8.32, p = 0.001) were observed; congruent trials elicited larger N3 amplitudes than incongruent trials at Fz and FCz. For LPCs, main effects of song type (F(1, 53) = 4.89, p = 0.03) and electrode site (F(4, 212) = 3.05, p = 0.047) were found, with the largest amplitudes at Pz and the smallest at FCz. Red songs enhance implicit prosocial attitudes specifically among individuals with music training, and are accompanied by multi-stage neurocognitive differences. These findings highlight the conditional effects of red songs and inform prosocial education.

Adolescence is a critical developmental window for shaping substance use trajectories. Music engagement during this period may reduce substance experimentation and later misuse through direct effects or shared etiological influences, and these associations may differ by genetic risk. Using a genetically informed, longitudinal design, we analyzed associations between music engagement at Age 12 and substance use outcomes at Ages 17 and 23 in the Colorado Longitudinal Twin sample (413 same-sex twin pairs; 50% female; 91.9% White; 9.1% Hispanic). Music engagement and substance use were assessed using questionnaires developed for this study. Twin modeling was used to disentangle causal from etiological influences, and polygenic scores were used to test whether associations are strongest for those at highest genetic risk. Music engagement was associated with less alcohol use and substance experimentation across adolescence and young adulthood (r = -0.105 to -0.099, p < .05). These associations were primarily attributable to shared environmental factors (rC = -0.56 to -0.41, p < .05), with some genetic overlap estimated in the opposite direction (rA = 0.55-0.61, p < .05). Sensation seeking polygenic scores predicted music engagement (b = 0.123, p = .006), but gene-environment interactions were nonsignificant. Music engagement is associated with reduced substance use in adolescence and young adulthood, driven by protective shared environmental influences rather than direct effects. Music engagement may represent a constructive environmental outlet for youth, underscoring the importance of genetically informed research. However, the results may not generalize to more contemporary and/or diverse cohorts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

This review systematically examines the advances, mechanisms, and clinical applications of music therapy in neurorehabilitation. The article first delineates the conceptual origins of music therapy and the developmental trajectory of neurologic music therapy, introducing the major technical classifications including receptive methods, active methods, improvisational approaches, and vibroacoustic music therapy. The core section elaborates on the multidimensional mechanisms underlying music therapy in neurorehabilitation, encompassing neuroanatomical networks, neurotrans Melodic Intonation Therapy and endocrine systems, neuroplasticity, and psychobehavioral dimensions, elucidating the functional recovery pathways through auditory-motor integration, neural network reorganization, and neuroplasticity enhancement. Regarding clinical applications, the article comprehensively discusses the specific implementations and evidence-based efficacy of music therapy in the rehabilitation of stroke, Parkinson's disease, and cerebral palsy, including improvements in motor, speech, and cognitive impairments. Finally, the article summarizes current challenges and outlines future directions, aiming to provide theoretical foundations and practical references for the standardized and precision application of music therapy in neurorehabilitation.

Although previous literature has established a strong connection between awe and music, the influence of consonance and dissonance in this relationship remains largely unexplored. In the present study, participants (N = 50) rated consonant and dissonant musical excerpts on their experiences of pleasure, power, and awe. The results indicate that, while consonance tends to evoke pleasure, dissonance elicits stronger feelings of power and awe, up to a certain point. However, when dissonance becomes too pronounced, such as in a highly chromatic or atonal context, feelings of both pleasure and power decline. More dissonant music also significantly predicted increasing feelings of the following specific awe dimensions: altered time perception, self-diminishment, perceived vastness, physical sensations, and need for accommodation. Musical experience was a significant predictor of the difference in ratings of consonant and dissonant music, with more musically experienced participants deriving greater pleasure, power, and awe, and more connectedness and physical sensations associated with awe, when listening to increasingly dissonant music. These findings reveal an incongruence between positive affect and emotional intensity, challenging the prevailing assumption in psychological literature that dissonance is merely unpleasant.

To investigate the impact of music and white noise on the pain caused by cosmetic botulinum toxin injections. Seventy-six participants between the ages of 18 and 45 who requested cosmetic botulinum toxin application to the upper face were enrolled in the study in three groups: favorite music (20), white noise (31), and control (25). The first and second groups listened to their favorite music and white noise, respectively, during and 10&#x2009;min after the procedures, while the control group was exposed to background noise only. The participants rated their pain levels during the procedure and the impact of the sound on their stress level using a visual analog scale ranging from 0 to 10. Additionally, the participants in both the music and white noise groups were surveyed regarding their preferences for sound intervention for future botulinum toxin procedures. The pain scores (95% confidence interval) for the control, music, and white noise groups were 6.80 [6.37-7.23], 5.7 [5.13-6.27], and 5.52 [4.99-6.04], respectively. Both the white noise group and the music group had significantly lower pain scores compared to the control group. Furthermore, individuals receiving botulinum toxin for the first time reported significantly higher pain scores than those who had prior experience with the treatment. Listening to white noise or music during cosmetic botulinum toxin injections can effectively reduce procedure-related pain. However, further studies are required to reveal the mechanism of action of sound applications in pain management during cosmetic procedures and to determine the selection of appropriate candidates and specific application conditions.

This article explores the use of biomedical human enhancement in the field of musical performance, focusing on the role of beta-blocking drugs, which have been used by classical musicians since the 1970s to control the symptoms of performance anxiety, primarily in high-stakes auditions. Insights gained from in-depth, structured, ethnographic interviews with professional classical musicians suggest that, unlike professional athletic communities (in which the use of beta-blocking drugs to control performance anxiety is often banned), classical musicians often view the use of beta-blocking drugs as a legitimate form of therapy or as a training tool. Although dominant bioethical frameworks for understanding human enhancement focus on values of autonomy, hard work, fairness, and justice, these values were largely absent from the way musicians conceived of beta-blocker use in their community. At a time when the use of beta-blocking drugs to control performance anxiety is spreading to job interviews, examining the impact of beta-blocker use in the field of classical music offers a real-world case study that shows how cultural values within individual communities shape ethical questions involving biomedical human enhancements.

A significant proportion of patients with leukemia experience anxiety disorders, which negatively affect their quality of life and sense of hope. Music therapy, a noninvasive and cost-effective treatment, may help regulate emotions, reduce anxiety, and alleviate pain. This study examined the effects of music therapy as an adjunct treatment on mood and hope levels in patients with leukemia and anxiety disorders. We analyzed 86 adult patients with leukemia and anxiety admitted between August 2023 and October 2024. Patients were divided into a standard treatment group ( n &#x2009;=&#x2009;43, the conventional treatment) and a music group ( n &#x2009;=&#x2009;43, the conventional treatment plus 12 music therapy sessions over 4 weeks, each lasting 60&#x2009;min, based on mindfulness). General data, Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire (MCMQ, coping styles), Profile of Mood States (POMS, mood states), Herth Hope Index (HHI, hope levels), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA, anxiety), World Health Organization Quality of Life Measurement Scale Brief Form (WHOQOL-BREF, quality of life), and Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS, fatigue) were compared at admission ( T1 ) and 1 month later ( T2 ). At T1 , no significant differences existed between the groups ( P > 0.05). At T2 , the music group showed reduced MCMQ avoidance/resignation scores ( P < 0.05), increased POMS positive mood, diminished negative mood ( P < 0.05), and elevated HHI scores ( P < 0.05). Additionally, their HAMA, PFS, and WHOQOL-BREF scores improved significantly ( P < 0.05). In this study, we found that self-reported levels of hope and mood improved in patients with leukemia and anxiety disorder following music therapy treatment. Further studies are needed to optimize treatment timing and methods to improve efficacy.

Nigerian Afro-pop music is a popular genre that significantly influences Nigerian society and beyond. While Afro-pop promotes Nigerian culture globally, critics argue that its explicit lyrics and provocative music videos negatively impact young individuals, promoting materialism, sexual promiscuity, and drug use. This research focuses on the cultural implications of "vulgar" Afro-pop music among Yoruba youth in Nigeria. The study employs a quantitative analysis of 295 responses to explore the respondents' perspectives on offensive content in Nigerian Afro-pop music. The findings highlight music's potential positive and destructive influences on youth and emphasize the need for regulatory bodies to scrutinize music content before distribution.

Therapeutic disciplines have researched the use of independent skills practice (i.e., homework) and its impact on patient outcomes, but research on this topic in music therapy has been limited and contradictory. This retrospective, exploratory study used a correlational approach to explore the use of recommending independent skills practice between music therapy sessions for military-connected individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Board-certified music therapists (MT-BCs) developed a standardized templated note (i.e., a standardized clinical documentation form) that tracked patient care outcomes of military-connected individuals across treatment. Relevant to this paper, the template captured the number of patient-reported symptoms for each session and if the MT-BCs recommended independent skills practices (i.e., homework) for the patient to apply outside of sessions. If MT-BCs recommended independent skills practice, they recorded the goal-based skill the practice addressed. This paper found that patients who had more sessions wherein MT-BCs recommended independent skills practice reported fewer symptoms both in the following session and at discharge. This paper also provides examples of independent skills practice recommendations and found that 80% were related to either treatment or life conditions. Although this study is retrospective and correlational, it provides preliminary evidence that recommending independent skills practice that is aligned with treatment goals for patients to complete between music therapy sessions could potentially be linked to a more beneficial therapeutic process. This paper discusses purposeful methods for independent skills practice and their impact on music therapy treatment for military-connected populations with TBI and/or PTSD. However, stronger, randomized-controlled trials are needed.

This study examined the rate of performance-related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMD) in music therapists. A cross-sectional survey was sent to all actively board-certified music therapists in the United States. A provisional estimate of 84% (n=642) of this sample of music therapists reported experiencing PRMD in their lifetime, with wrists/hands being most injured. Risk factors associated with increased odds of injury included multiple occupational factors and job stress. Most music therapists reported experiencing mild disability in the past week. A variety of psychological factors were associated with higher levels of current disability while one social factor contributed to lower current disability scores. Occupational injury in music therapists is high with a variety of work-related risk factors. Despite when they were initially injured, most participants were still working with mild levels of disability.

Social bonding is essential in Alzheimer's Disease (AD), as social withdrawal reduces quality of life and can worsen Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Dementia. Music therapy offer a promising approach. This study examines the effects on social engagement in AD and explores links between verbal interaction, memory, and emotion. Nineteen voluntary residents with moderate to severe AD from four nursing homes participated. Nine musical reminiscence workshops were conducted. A single-group intervention study was conducted, with assessments at baseline, three points during the intervention, post-intervention, and one-month follow-up. Emotions were assessed using the Observed Emotion Rating Scale. Social engagement was measured via the social interaction domain of the Alzheimer's Disease-Related Quality of Life scale. Episodic memory was evaluated with the simplified Tempau Test and an observational grid. Reminiscences and verbal interactions during workshops were counted. Verbal interactions and memory episodicity increased across workshops. Pleasure correlated positively with interaction frequency. Daily social engagement also improved after the intervention. Musical reminiscence workshops enhance autobiographical memory and foster social engagement. Pleasure appears to be associated with social interactions. Music interventions can improve the social quality of life in people living with Alzheimer's disease.

Heart-rate (HR) synchrony between individuals has been linked to emotional contagion and shared experience. Research in psychotherapy has also associated this type of synchrony with therapists demonstrating more empathic and attentive behavior, as well as progress and alliance ratings. Using dyadic HR data, session videos and notes, this paper investigated the emergence of dyadic HR synchrony during music therapy (MT) interventions in a neurorehabilitation setting between 11 in-patients (mean age 51 years &#xb1; 6.48) and one music therapist (43 years) who were selected by convenience sampling. HR synchrony during moments of interest (MOI; mean duration 76 &#xb1; 20.7 s) within the MT intervention period (mean duration 25.62 &#xb1; 7.34 min), as selected by the music therapist was explored. Focus was also given to the leading characteristics during HR synchrony, as well as the relationships between HR synchrony and nonverbal (NV) synchrony before and after the MT intervention, along with the association with patients' therapy readiness. We found that dyadic HR synchrony occurred beyond chance but significant associations to the patient's therapy readiness and NV synchrony could not be demonstrated. However, there was a very strong association between HR synchrony and the duration of the MT interventions, especially the 20-25 min block, suggesting that a certain duration may be needed for HR synchrony to emerge. HR synchrony during MOI segments was not significantly higher than the MT intervention average but more than half of them overlapped with the four highest and lowest HR synchrony segments, which could suggest that MOI segments may be detected physiologically. The ability to access previously hidden dyadic physiological changes and understanding the impact of MT intervention duration on HR synchrony could have important.

This study aimed to assess the effect of music therapy combined with comfort care on reflux events during enteral nutrition in comatose patients. This study was a retrospective, single-centre, non-randomised study of 120 comatose patients receiving enteral nutrition in the neurological intensive care unit from January 2022 to December 2023. According to nursing approaches received, patients were divided into a comfort care group ( n &#x2009;=&#x2009;58) and a combined care group ( n &#x2009;=&#x2009;62). The combined care group received comfort care combined with music therapy, whereas the comfort care group received comfort care alone. Key evaluation parameters included reflux episodes, reflux time, reflux height, gastric residual volume (GRV), gastric antral motility and haemodynamic indicators. Data were analysed using independent t -tests for between-group comparisons and paired t -tests for within-group pre-post comparisons. Chi-square tests were used for categorical variables. Compared with the comfort care group, the combined care group was associated with significantly fewer reflux episodes, lower reflux time and height and lower GRV ( P < 0.05). Additionally, the combined care group showed higher gastric antral motility parameters (frequency, amplitude and motility index), reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure and lower heart rate than the comfort care group ( P < 0.05). Music therapy combined with comfort care was associated with reduced reflux events, improved gastrointestinal function and enhanced safety of enteral nutrition in comatose patients. These findings suggest that this combined approach may be helpful in managing enteral nutrition-related complications, although prospective randomised controlled trials are needed to establish causality.