Music therapy taps into long-term memory, which remains intact longer than short-term memory in dementia patients.

"One of our patients struggles to recall much from his past. He has Dementia. However, whenever he listens to songs in his mother tongue, it boosts his mood and reconnect with his memories," Neha Sinha, Dementia Specialist, Psychologist, CEO & Co-founder of Epoch Elder Care told me recently.

This made me wonder if music can really help elderly patients with complex neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's, Dementia and Multiple Sclerosis. Turns out that it can. While it does not specifically treat them, music definitely helps stabilize symptoms, fostering emotional well-being and improving the quality of life for patients.

Music And Memories To Treat Physical Symptoms

Behavioural challenges, such as aggression, anxiety, and social disinhibition, are common in patients with Dementia. Music therapy addresses these issues by creating a calming atmosphere and making them more open to treatment. "Listening to or engaging with music can soothe anxiety, regulate sleep patterns, and encourage them to be more receptive to assistance in performing their activities of daily life (ADL) more comfortably. Moreover, Reminiscence therapy, which helps recall events and discuss past events to improve their well-being, is known to be profoundly effective in treating such conditions.

Music therapy also taps into long-term memory, which remains intact longer than short-term memory in those suffering from Dementia. Familiar tunes or songs from childhood can stimulate certain neural connections, particularly if they are in their mother tongue. This soothes their anxiety, provides comfort and even prompts them to engage in social conversations.

Additionally, music therapy aids motor coordination, which is particularly helpful to those with Parkinson's. Incorporating rhythmic movements like walking or light dancing to music can improve muscle relaxation and enhance motor abilities. While there is no direct evidence linking music therapy to alleviating physical symptoms, its positive impact on mood and cognitive function makes patients more receptive to medical treatment.

Music Therapy Has Shown Significant Benefits

Healing with music is believed to date back to ancient Greece when music was used in an attempt to cure mental disorders. Throughout history, music has been used to boost morale in military troops, help people work faster and more productively, and even ward off evil spirits by chanting.

Music therapy does not involve specialists in most cases. It involves:

• listening to music
• singing along to music
• moving to the beat of the music
• meditating
• playing an instrument

A major new study published in the Lancet has found that record numbers of people around the world now have reduced kidney function, a condition known as Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). This makes CKD one of the most critical public health issues facing the world today.

The number of people struggling with CKD has more than doubled since 1990, jumping from 378 million to a staggering 788 million in 2023. This huge increase is primarily happening because the world's population is both growing and getting older, and CKD is more common in older age.

As a result, CKD is now one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide for the very first time. Approximately 1.5 million people died directly from the condition in 2023. This rapid growth shows just how quickly this disease is spreading and affecting lives globally.

How Does Kidney Affect Other Organ Health?

The study revealed that CKD is dangerous not just because it causes kidney failure, but because it also has a deadly connection to your heart.

Impaired kidney function puts stress on the cardiovascular system and is a key risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, contributing to about 12 percent of all heart disease deaths globally.

Furthermore, the condition severely impacts quality of life, ranking as the 12th leading cause of disability by limiting what people can do. The research also clearly pointed out the three biggest lifestyle and health factors that cause CKD: High Blood Sugar (usually from diabetes), High Blood Pressure, and High Body Mass Index (which is a measure of obesity).

What Are Some Early Signs of Poor Kidney Health?

To ensure you get timely help, it is important to know what some early signs of kidney disease are, according to the National Kidney Foundation.

Less Energy or Trouble Concentrating

A buildup of toxins and waste in your blood, caused by poor kidney function, can make you feel very tired, weak, and may lead to difficulty focusing on tasks or thinking clearly.

Trouble Sleeping

Toxins that are not properly filtered out of the blood by the kidneys can remain in your system, making it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night.

Dry and Itchy Skin

When the kidneys can no longer keep the right balance of minerals and nutrients in the blood, it can lead to mineral and bone disease, causing persistent dry and itchy skin.

Urinating More Frequently

A need to urinate more often than usual, especially late at night, can signal damaged kidney filters, which increases the urge to go. This needs medical checking.

Blood in Urine

Healthy kidneys keep blood cells in the body, but damaged filters allow blood to leak into the urine. This may also indicate an infection or kidney stones.

Foamy Urine

Excessive bubbles or foam in your urine that look like beaten eggs and require multiple flushes to disappear can mean there is a large amount of protein (albumin) leaking into your urine.

Persistent Puffiness Around Eyes

Puffiness, especially around the eyes, is often a sign that your kidneys are damaged and leaking large amounts of protein into the urine instead of keeping it in your body.

Swollen Ankles and Feet

Decreased kidney function can cause your body to hold onto sodium (salt). This excess fluid retention then leads to noticeable swelling in your feet and ankles.

Poor Appetite

A general but important sign, a reduced appetite or feeling of sickness can be caused by the buildup of waste products and toxins in the body due to reduced kidney filtering ability.

Muscle Cramping

Impaired kidney function can lead to an imbalance of essential electrolytes, such as low calcium or poorly controlled phosphorus, which often contributes to painful muscle cramping.

Why Do We Need Early Intervention for Kidney Diseases?

The most hopeful finding is that most people with CKD are still in the early stages of the condition.

This is important because early detection and swift treatment can often prevent the disease from progressing to the point where dialysis or a transplant is needed, which are both dramatic and expensive interventions.

Doctors are urging for more urine testing to catch CKD before symptoms even appear. New medications have also become available in recent years that can slow down the disease and protect the heart.

Ultimately, the report strongly argues that since CKD is currently "underdiagnosed and undertreated," a massive, focused effort is needed globally to make sure patients can afford and access treatment as soon as they are diagnosed.

The World Health Organization’s November 2024 report revealed that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. The condition was responsible for an estimated 3.5 million deaths in 2021 according to the latest available global data. COPD is a common and serious lung disease, and the WHO noted that smoking, indoor and outdoor pollution, and harmful inhalants are among its most significant triggers.

Children, too, are increasingly at risk due to high pollution levels, secondhand smoke and early-life respiratory infections. With winter pollution worsening across many Indian cities, especially Delhi NCR, experts say this is the right moment to revisit how COPD can be prevented through everyday habits and early interventions.

What COPD Really Is

COPD is identified as a chronic lung disorder that results in persistent breathlessness, chronic cough and long-term mucus production. According to the pulmonologist, the disease is a major global health burden linked to high levels of mortality and long-term disability across populations.

The condition develops slowly and often goes unnoticed in its early stages. Over time, narrowed airways and irreversible lung damage make breathing progressively more difficult. The pulmonologist explained that the air people breathe plays a crucial role in determining long-term lung health, especially for those living in severely polluted areas.

Why COPD Happens

COPD is primarily caused by the inhalation of harmful particles and gases. These include cigarette smoke, secondhand smoke, indoor pollution from biomass fuel, outdoor smog, chemicals, dust and repeated lung infections. The pulmonologist added that a small percentage of COPD cases are due to a rare genetic condition known as alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. In such cases, checking family history becomes important for early detection.

Preventing COPD: What Experts Recommend

Preventing COPD requires a comprehensive and consistent lifestyle strategy. While quitting smoking remains the single most effective step for protecting the lungs, the pulmonologist stressed that prevention goes far beyond just avoiding cigarettes. Clean air, healthy food, ideal body weight and regular vaccinations all play a key role.

The pulmonologist shared nine essential tips that can help significantly reduce the risk of COPD, particularly for people living in high-pollution regions such as Delhi NCR.

9 Essential Tips to Prevent COPD

• Avoid smoking completely and seek medical support to quit if necessary.
• Avoid secondhand smoke and maintain distance from people who smoke.
• Reduce indoor pollution by switching from biomass fuels to LPG, keeping windows open for ventilation and using air purifiers when required.
• Limit exposure to outdoor pollution. Wear a mask during high pollution days and stay indoors when air quality is poor. Consider shifting residence or workplace if the area remains persistently polluted.
• Use proper protective gear, including masks, if your profession involves dust, chemicals or industrial fumes.
• Avoid exposure to strong or irritating smells that can trigger respiratory issues.
• Maintain healthy lifestyle practices such as regular exercise and a balanced diet.
• Keep body weight within a healthy BMI range because excess weight worsens breathing and being underweight can increase vulnerability to more severe COPD.
• Ask a doctor about preventive vaccinations such as influenza and pneumococcal shots when appropriate.

A new meta-analysis published in the journal Stroke reports that GLP-1 receptor agonists such as semaglutide may help reduce the risk of ischemic stroke in patients who do not have diabetes. The findings come from a review of preclinical studies and highlight the growing interest in how these widely used drugs may offer benefits beyond blood sugar control.

What GLP-1 Drugs Are and How They Work

GLP-1 receptor agonists are a class of medications that mimic a natural hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1. This hormone helps regulate appetite, insulin release and blood sugar levels. Drugs in this category include semaglutide, liraglutide, exenatide, lixisenatide and dulaglutide. Semaglutide is sold under the brand names Wegovy and Ozempic.

These medicines were originally developed for people with type 2 diabetes. Over time, scientists observed additional effects such as reduced appetite, improved metabolic markers and modest cardiovascular protection. This led to their approval for weight management in people without diabetes. Today, GLP-1 drugs are among the most prescribed medications for obesity and are being studied for heart failure, kidney disease and other conditions. However, their potential benefits in non-diabetic patients at risk of stroke remain largely unexplored.

What the New Review Examined

Researchers from Aarhus University in Denmark conducted the meta-analysis to understand whether GLP-1 drugs could reduce the severity or likelihood of acute ischemic stroke in people who do not have diabetes. The team examined 31 preclinical trials conducted between 2011 and 2024. All studies were carried out in rodent models.

The included drugs were given either orally or through subcutaneous injections. The researchers compared animals receiving GLP-1 drugs with those given a placebo. They reviewed outcomes such as infarct volume, neurological recovery and markers of cell injury.

Findings Show Promising Neuroprotective Effects

Across the studies, animals treated with GLP-1 drugs showed significantly smaller infarct volumes than those given a placebo. They also demonstrated better neurological function after stroke.

Lead author Michael K. Michaelsen from the department of clinical medicine at Aarhus University wrote that the mechanisms behind these benefits are not yet clear. He noted that the effects appear to extend beyond blood sugar regulation. According to the paper, GLP-1 drugs may act on multiple pathways involved in stroke injury including inflammation, oxidative stress and cell death. The authors observed reductions in oxidative stress markers, inflammatory mediators and indicators of cell death in several trials. However, they cautioned that these findings do not prove causality.

Human Impact Still Unknown

Since all the analyzed studies were in animals, experts say it is too early to conclude whether GLP-1 receptor agonists could improve stroke outcomes in non-diabetic patients. Clinical trials will be needed to confirm whether the neuroprotective effects translate to humans.

The authors noted that if future research shows that these drugs do not affect platelet function or clotting during the acute phase of stroke, they could one day be used even before patients undergo neuroimaging. They wrote that early prehospital administration could potentially offer faster protection during the critical first moments of stroke.