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. 2021 Nov 20;16(1):486.
doi: 10.1186/s13023-021-02123-6.

Music therapy and Sanfilippo syndrome: an analysis of psychological and physiological variables of three case studies

P Pérez-Núñez  1 , E Lázaro  2 , I Amayra  2 , J F López-Paz  2 , P Caballero  2 , O Martínez  2 , M Pérez  2 , S Berrocoso  2 , M Al-Rashaida  2 , M García  2 , A A Rodríguez  2 , P M Luna  2
Affiliations

Music therapy and Sanfilippo syndrome: an analysis of psychological and physiological variables of three case studies

P Pérez-Núñez et al. Orphanet J Rare Dis. .

Abstract

Introduction: Mucopolysaccharidosis type III (MPS III) or Sanfilippo syndrome is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the accumulation of mucopolysaccharides in the body. As the symptoms are wide ranging, it is a challenge to provide a diagnosis and psychological treatment for affected children.

Method: The main objective of this study was to describe a form of music therapy treatment applied to three children diagnosed with MPS III. The psychological variables were evaluated by an ad hoc observation recording template, and the physiological variables were measured with a digital meter before and after each session. The perception of the parents was also considered through a semi-structured interview.

Results: An improvement in the psychological variables was shown in all cases. Changes in the physiological variables were also noted, although they varied according to each child. The parents report some benefit of music therapy and they share difficulty in assessing the extent of benefits of the music therapy.

Discussion: Findings indicate that music therapy can be a useful form of treatment with multiple benefits for children with conditions such as MPS III or similar conditions. However, further research is needed in this area and in the development of specific ways of evaluating music therapy.

Keywords: Music therapy; Psychological and physiological variables; Sanfilippo.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Pre- and post-descriptive analysis of the psychological variables of A. by dimension. The results showed that the total score increased over time in all the dimensions when comparing the pre-treatment measurement to the post-treatment measurement. M: Mean SD: Standard deviation
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Pre- and post-descriptive analysis of the physiological variables in A.'s case. It was found that his systolic blood pressure (SBP) was higher before participating in music therapy sessions, compared to that measured after the session. However, his diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate (HR) were lower before starting the sessions, and increased after participating in them. M: Mean. SD: Standard deviation
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Pre- and post-descriptive analysis of the psychological variables of R. by dimension. The results showed an increase in the total score in all the dimensions, when comparing pre-treatment and the post-treatment measurements. M: Mean SD: Standard deviation
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Pre- and post-descriptive analysis of the physiological variables in the case of R. The results showed that all the scores in the physiological variables decreased after participating in the music therapy sessions, the difference in the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) being the most noticeable. M: Mean SD: Standard deviation
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Pre- and post-descriptive analysis of the psychological variables of X. The results showed a general tendency for the total score to increase in all the dimensions, comparing the pre-treatment and post-treatment measurements. M: Mean SD: Standard deviation
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Pre- and post-descriptive analysis of the physiological variables in the case of X. The results showed that both her diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) decreased after the music therapy session, while her heart rate (HR) increased slightly. M: Mean SD: Standard deviation
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