Music-Based Interventions for Neurorehabilitation in Neurodegenerative Disorders: From Mechanisms to Precision and Real-World Impact

Music-based interventions represent a rapidly expanding field in neurorehabilitation, particularly within neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, atypical parkinsonism, and dementia. These interventions leverage principles of auditory–motor coupling, neural entrainment, and neuroplasticity, demonstrating meaningful benefits across motor, cognitive, and emotional domains. A growing body of research suggests that rhythm, tempo, and musical engagement can modulate brain connectivity and enhance adaptive neuroplastic mechanisms, providing new pathways for functional recovery and quality-of-life improvement. Nonetheless, a persistent challenge remains in translating laboratory efficacy into sustainable, real-world therapies that are personalized, accessible, and integrated into daily life. Current evidence is often derived from highly controlled experimental contexts, leaving open questions regarding long-term feasibility, generalizability, and patient adherence.This Research Topic aims to advance the understanding and application of music-based interventions for neurodegenerative disorders by bridging mechanistic insights with clinical and translational research. The goal is to explore how musical engagement—through structured rhythm, melody, and interactive therapeutic processes—can promote motor, cognitive, and psychosocial outcomes while fostering neuroplastic adaptations. Particular emphasis will be placed on identifying individual predictors of therapeutic response, optimizing intervention protocols, and devising strategies that ensure ecological validity and sustainability. The Research Topic seeks to address fundamental questions such as: How can music-based treatments be personalized? What mechanisms underlie therapeutic effectiveness? And how can these interventions be implemented consistently across care settings and communities?This Research Topic encompasses studies situated at the interface of neuroscience, clinical practice, and translational rehabilitation research. It encourages contributions that interrogate underlying mechanisms, optimize therapeutic designs, and examine real-world implementation of music-based interventions. To gather further insights into the translational and mechanistic foundations of these interventions, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Neural, behavioral, and physiological mechanisms underpinning music-based interventions- Development, personalization, and optimization of therapeutic music protocols- Clinical and translational evaluations of music-based interventions across neurodegenerative populations- Predictive and precision-oriented approaches identifying responders to music-based interventions- Integration of objective tools such as neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and digital biomarkers in outcome assessment- Implementation science addressing accessibility, adherence, and sustainability in real-world contexts- Methodological innovations to enhance reproducibility, standardization, and scalability of interventions- Multimodal and technology-supported music interventions, including caregiver-inclusive models of therapeutic engagementThis Research Topic welcomes Original Research, Brief Reports, Scoping Reviews, Systematic Reviews, Meta-Analyses, Methods papers, Clinical Trial Protocols, and Perspective articles emphasizing methodological rigor, reproducibility, and translational impact. Topic editors: Kyurim Kang, Jeanette Tamplin, Louis N Awad, Isabelle Buard Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79172/music-based-interventions-for-neurorehabilitation-in-neurodegenerative-disorders-from-mechanisms-to-precision-and-real-world-impact