Is Music Therapy Effective in Improving the Quality of Life in Dementia Patients?

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not music therapy is effective in improving the quality of life in dementia patients. STUDY DESIGN: Review of three English language primary studies published between 1996 and present. DATA SOURCES: Randomized, controlled clinical trials (RCTs) analyzing music therapy and dementia were found using PubMed and OVID. OUTCOMES MEASURED: The main outcome measured was quality of life, which included depression, anxiety and cognitive change. RESULTS: Music therapy resulted in several beneficial effects for dementia patients including improvements in self-esteem, depressive symptoms, anxiety, depression, and cognitive change.Participants who attended ≥50% of live music therapy sessions in the Cooke et al study experienced improvement in self-esteem over time. Fewer depressive symptoms were reported in dementia patients, especially if they had attended music sessions. In the Guétin et al study, both anxiety and depression were significantly reduced in participants completing between four and sixteen weeks of receptive music therapy (p\u3c0.01). These effects persisted for 8 weeks after cessation of intervention. When group music therapy was employed in the Bruer et al study, cognitive improvements were found in dementia-diagnosed subjects immediately following therapy (+2.00 points) and one day post intervention (+3.69 points) as evident by increased scores on the Mini Mental State Exam. One week post-intervention, no significant cognitive improvements remained. CONCLUSIONS:The results of these three clinical trials show that the use of music therapy can be effective in improving quality of life in some dementia patients. The implementation of music therapy into the lives of dementia patients may result in decreased levels of anxiety and depression, higher self-esteem, and increased levels of cognition up to one day after therapy. Although the data on the persisting effects of music therapy is variable, there is potential for music therapy to have effects on anxiety and depression for up to eight weeks following intervention

The Role and Mechanism of Erythrocyte Invasion by Francisella tularensis

Francisella tularensis is an extremely virulent bacterium that can be transmitted naturally by blood sucking arthropods. During mammalian infection, F. tularensis infects numerous types of host cells, including erythrocytes. As erythrocytes do not undergo phagocytosis or endocytosis, it remains unknown how F. tularensisinvades these cells. Furthermore, the consequence of inhabiting the intracellular space of red blood cells (RBCs) has not been determined. Here, we provide evidence indicating that residing within an erythrocyte enhances the ability of F. tularensis to colonize ticks following a blood meal. Erythrocyte residence protected F. tularensis from a low pH environment similar to that of gut cells of a feeding tick. Mechanistic studies revealed that the F. tularensis type VI secretion system (T6SS) was required for erythrocyte invasion as mutation of mglA (a transcriptional regulator of T6SS genes), dotU, or iglC (two genes encoding T6SS machinery) severely diminished bacterial entry into RBCs. Invasion was also inhibited upon treatment of erythrocytes with venom from the Blue-bellied black snake (Pseudechis guttatus), which aggregates spectrin in the cytoskeleton, but not inhibitors of actin polymerization and depolymerization. These data suggest that erythrocyte invasion by F. tularensis is dependent on spectrin utilization which is likely mediated by effectors delivered through the T6SS. Our results begin to elucidate the mechanism of a unique biological process facilitated by F. tularensis to invade erythrocytes, allowing for enhanced colonization of ticks

Data for PeerJ Pre-print: A new experimental host for Francisella tularensis

<p>This is the raw data that accompanies the PeerJ Pre-print entitled "Cockroaches join the fight against infection: an improved insect host system for Francisella tularensis."</p

The Role and Mechanism of Erythrocyte Invasion by Francisella tularensis

Francisella tularensis is an extremely virulent bacterium that can be transmitted naturally by blood sucking arthropods. During mammalian infection, F. tularensis infects numerous types of host cells, including erythrocytes. As erythrocytes do not undergo phagocytosis or endocytosis, it remains unknown how F. tularensis invades these cells. Furthermore, the consequence of inhabiting the intracellular space of red blood cells (RBCs) has not been determined. Here, we provide evidence indicating that residing within an erythrocyte enhances the ability of F. tularensis to colonize ticks following a blood meal. Erythrocyte residence protected F. tularensis from a low pH environment similar to that of gut cells of a feeding tick. Mechanistic studies revealed that the F. tularensis type VI secretion system (T6SS) was required for erythrocyte invasion as mutation of mglA (a transcriptional regulator of T6SS genes), dotU, or iglC (two genes encoding T6SS machinery) severely diminished bacterial entry into RBCs. Invasion was also inhibited upon treatment of erythrocytes with venom from the Blue-bellied black snake (Pseudechis guttatus), which aggregates spectrin in the cytoskeleton, but not inhibitors of actin polymerization and depolymerization. These data suggest that erythrocyte invasion by F. tularensis is dependent on spectrin utilization which is likely mediated by effectors delivered through the T6SS. Our results begin to elucidate the mechanism of a unique biological process facilitated by F. tularensis to invade erythrocytes, allowing for enhanced colonization of ticks