This cross-cutting Sound–Music & Health strand brings together research related to wellbeing and health conducted within the STMS laboratory.

• Report 2024
• Reports 2022 and 2023
• Report 2022 and previous years

The potential of music and of interventions based on music and sound is universally recognised. However, scientific studies often suffer from methodological limitations when it comes to demonstrating these benefits. In order to justify the role of technologies related to music and sound within the field of wellbeing and health, it is necessary to consider at least four interdependent approaches that reinforce one another:

• Investigating the mechanisms involved in the perception of music and sound
• Implementing interventions targeting specific mechanisms underlying therapeutic approaches, guided by knowledge of the processes involved in music and sound perception
• Designing interventions based on the latest scientific and technological developments combining music, computing and signal processing
• Quantitatively evaluating the success of interventions by comparing them with established therapies

This strand is organised into three main activities:

• Prevention and the promotion of health and wellbeing: this includes activities aimed at improving the sound environment, as well as actions related to developmental and educational aspects
• Interventions in patient care, whether at the diagnostic or treatment stage. Treatment interventions include both those carried out in clinical settings and those that can be delivered in patients’ homes
• Study of the mechanisms of music and sound perception in the general population. This also addresses the social impact of musical practice through the study of audience experience. The aim of this activity is to identify targets that can be treated or strengthened through music and sound in cases of dysfunction, whether related to impairment (congenital or acquired) or disorder (acute or chronic)