Music and the Brain

Oliver Sacks on Music, Memory and Emotion

Oliver Sacks, M.D., noted neurologist and best-selling author of Musicophilia, discusses the impact of personalized music on people suffering from Alzheimer’s and severe memory loss.

Dr. Sacks died on August 30, 2015. He was a wonderful friend to Music & Memory who made important contributions to the conversation around Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia through a lifetime of work and research. Rest in peace.

 

The past which is not recoverable in any other way is embedded, as if in amber, in the music, and people can regain a sense of identity. . . — Oliver Sacks

Why Do the Songs from Your Past Evoke Such Vivid Memories? 

In this article that appeared in Psychology Today (12-11-13), columnist Christopher Bergland explains recent research about “music-evoked autobiographical memories” (MEAMs), and why music evokes such strong responses from people with Alzheimer’s Disease.