Background and Aims: Music-based interventions have been found to benefit people living with dementia and have positive impacts on cognition and well-being. Most people with dementia live in the community and compared to people with dementia in residential care often have less access to music-based interventions. There are many forms of music interventions and singing has shown particular promise; in the realm of music interventions. It is important to determine what aspects of music interventions yield the most benefits for people with dementia. This review aimed to synthesise evidence on the impacts of singing interventions on quality of life, mood and neuropsychiatric symptoms for community-dwelling people with dementia. Methods: We systematically searched three electronic databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE and Web of Science) for studies reporting on singing interventions with community-dwelling people with dementia. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they reported on a singing intervention with people living with dementia that included an outcome measure of quality of life, mood or agitation. Fourteen publications were identified and included in this review, with a total of n = 361 people with dementia. Results: Despite some inconsistencies across the literature, evidence suggests that singing interventions led to an improvement in mood and a reduction in agitation levels in people living with dementia. There was no strong evidence to suggest that singing interventions led to significant improvements in quality of life. Conclusions: This review highlights the potential of singing interventions as an effective psychosocial intervention for community-dwelling people with dementia. For key developments in this area, we urge that future studies include a control group where possible which will allow for more robust examinations of singing interventions and allow intervention effects to be distinguished from general deterioration in dementia symptoms over time.

Voices arguably occupy a superior role in auditory processing. Specifically, studies have reported that singing voices are processed faster and more accurately and possess greater salience in musical scenes compared to instrumental sounds. However, the underlying acoustic features of this superiority and the generality of these effects remain unclear. This study investigates the impact of frequency micro-modulations (FMM) and the influence of interfering sounds on sound recognition. Thirty young participants, half with musical training, engage in three sound recognition experiments featuring short vocal and instrumental sounds in a go/no-go task. Accuracy and reaction times are measured for sounds from recorded samples and excerpts of popular music. Each sound is presented in separate versions with and without FMM, in isolation or accompanied by a piano. Recognition varies across sound categories, but no general vocal superiority emerges and no effects of FMM. When presented together with interfering sounds, all sounds exhibit degradation in recognition. However, whereas /a/ sounds stand out by showing a distinct robustness to interference (i.e., less degradation of recognition), /u/ sounds lack this robustness. Acoustical analysis implies that recognition differences can be explained by spectral similarities. Together, these results challenge the notion of general vocal superiority in auditory perception.

BACKGROUND: The morphology of the vocal tract plays a crucial role in singing. Adjustments of the lower part of the vocal tract are essential for voice quality and timbre. Structured investigations of this region are challenging due to the small extent of the morphological modifications.
METHODS: This study analyzed the morphology of the endolaryngeal tube and parts of the surrounding hypopharynx for the sustained vowels /a/, /e/, /i/, //, and // by 11 female singer subjects who were at the beginning of their academic singing studies. As in a previous study with male subjects, analysis was based on two phonatory conditions: a natural, speech-like phonation and a singing phonation, like in classical singing. By means of 3D image processing from magnetic resonance imaging, multiple measures were derived. The data were statistically analyzed using linear mixed effects models and ANOVA.
RESULTS: The female singers enlarged the ratio of the endolaryngeal tube to the adjacent hypopharynx for singing.
CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to the findings of the male singers in a previous study, the ratios of the laryngeal volumes to the neighboring hypopharynx increased while singing. The female singer subjects of the present study increased those ratios, mediated by an over-proportional enlargement of the endolaryngeal tube. Existing acoustic differences to male singers are thus given a morphological basis.
CONCLUSIONS: The study gives insight into the characteristic adjustments of the vocal tract of female classical singers. The resonatory strategies for females in classical singing differ from those found in males.

OBJECTIVE: To verify possible complaints, voice and aerodigestive symptoms, singing voice handicap, and knowledge of vocal health and hygiene in Candomblé religious leaders in Brazil.
METHODS: The study comprised 112 individuals who filled out a questionnaire with their identification and characterization, the stratified classification of their professional activities, and their self-perception of voice. Three self-assessment protocols - VoiSS, QSHV, and MSHI - were also used.
RESULTS: The self-assessment of voice ranged from average to good. VoiSS mean total score was 23.04, which is above the cutoff. QSHV mean score was 23.54 points, which is near the cutoff. MSHI mean score (the perception of singing voice handicap) was 25.66 points. There was a substantially strong positive correlation between VoiSS and MSHI total scores (0.789; p<0.001). Women had higher limitation scores (p=0.012) and total scores (p=0.012) in VoiSS and higher handicap scores (p=0.038) in MSHI. Level I professionals - vocal elite (singers and actors) - had significantly higher QSHV scores than those in levels IV (p=0.010) and V (p=0.008). Most respondents had not visited an otorhinolaryngologist (89.29%) within the last year and had not been submitted to speech therapy (83.04%) for voice complaints.
CONCLUSIONS: Candomblé leaders, particularly women, perceived voice symptoms and singing voice handicaps, with no relationship with their knowledge of vocal health and hygiene. Despite the complaints, most subjects reported not having visited health professionals responsible for voice care within the last year.
OBJECTIVE: Verificar a autopercepção de sintomas vocais e aerodigestivos, desvantagem vocal no canto e o conhecimento em saúde e higiene vocal em líderes religiosos do Candomblé do Brasil.
UNASSIGNED: Participaram deste estudo 112 indivíduos, que preencheram virtualmente um questionário de identificação, caracterização, classificação das atividades profissionais em níveis e autoavaliação vocal no momento atual, além de três protocolos de autoavaliação: Escala de Sinais e Sintomas (ESV), Questionário de Saúde e Higiene Vocal (QSHV) e Índice de Desvantagem para o Canto Moderno (IDCM). Foram utilizados os testes de correlação de Spearman, teste de Mann-Whitney e teste de Kruskal-Wallis.
RESULTS: A autoavaliação vocal no momento atual variou de razoável a boa. A média do escore total na ESV foi de 23,04, acima da nota de corte. O QSHV apresentou valor médio de 23,54 pontos, próximo à nota de corte. O Índice de Desvantagem para o Canto Moderno (IDCM) mostrou média de 25,66 pontos. Houve correlação positiva de força substancial entre os escores totais da ESV e IDCM (0,789). Mulheres apresentaram maiores escores no ESV total e ESV limitação, além de maior escore no IDCM desvantagem. Profissionais do nível I - elite vocal (cantores e atores) apresentaram escores significativamente maiores para o QSHV que os profissionais do grupo IV (usuário não profissional não-vocal) e os do nível V (pessoas que estão fora do mercado de trabalho). A maioria dos respondentes não consultou Otorrinolaringologista (89,29%) no último ano e nem realizou fonoterapia (83,04%) por queixas vocais.
UNASSIGNED: Líderes do Candomblé apresentaram percepção de sintomas vocais e desvantagem vocal no canto, mais evidente nas mulheres, não havendo relação com o conhecimento de saúde e higiene vocal. Apesar da identificação de sintomas vocais, a maior parte dos sujeitos relatou não ter acessado profissionais de saúde responsáveis por esses cuidados com a voz no último ano.

UNASSIGNED: The impact of singing on cardiovascular health has not been extensively studied. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of singing on cardiovascular biomarkers in an aging population with coronary artery disease.
UNASSIGNED: Participants had three study visits separated by 2-7 days, according to a randomized, single-blind, cross-over, controlled design: (1) a 30-minute period of coached singing from an in-person music therapist, (2) a 30-minute period of singing along to an instructional video and (3) a 30-minute rest (control). Primary outcomes included macrovascular endothelial function assessed by brachial artery flow-mediated dilation and microvascular function assessed by peripheral arterial tonometry (Framingham reactive hyperemia index; fRHI). Heart rate variability was a secondary outcome.
UNASSIGNED: Sixty-five subjects (mean age 67.7± 0.8, 40% women) completed the study. Compared to control, there was an increase in fRHI for the singing video intervention (estimate 0.54, SE 0.25, p=0.005) but not for the coaching intervention (estimate 0.11, SE 0.18, p=0.570). There was no change in macrovascular function with either intervention. The low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio increased by 2.80 (SE 1.03, p=0.008), and the LnHF power decreased by -0.90 ms2 (SE 0.29, p=0.003) with the video (during to pre-change). When assessing post- to pre- change, the coaching intervention showed a significant change of -0.62 ms2 (SE 0.29, p=0.036) in LnHF power.
UNASSIGNED: Singing along to an instructional video for 30 minutes improved microvascular, but not macrovascular, endothelial function, in older patients with CAD. HRV changes with singing are similar to that of exercise.
UNASSIGNED: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT04121741.

The perception of a talker\'s head orientation is an ecologically relevant task. Humans are able to discriminate changes in talker head orientation using acoustic cues. Factors that may influence measures of this ability have not been well characterized. Here, we examined the minimum audible change in head orientation cues (MACHO) using diotic stimuli. The effects of several factors were tested: talker and gender, stimulus bandwidth (full-band vs low-pass filtered at 8 or 10 kHz), transducer (loudspeaker vs headphone), stimulus uncertainty (interleaved vs blocked presentation of four talkers), and vocal production mode (speech vs singing). The best performance of ∼41° was achieved for full-band, blocked presentation of speech over a loudspeaker. Greater stimulus uncertainty (interleaved presentation) worsened the MACHO by 26%. Bandlimiting at 8 and 10 kHz worsened performance by an additional 22% and 14%, respectively. At equivalent overall sound levels, performance was better for speech than for singing. There was some limited evidence for the transducer influencing the MACHO. These findings suggest the MACHO relies on multiple factors manipulated here. One of the largest, consistent effects was that of talker, suggesting head orientation cues are highly dependent on individual talker characteristics. This may be due to individual variability in speech directivity patterns.

The production effect refers to the finding that words read aloud are better remembered than words read silently. This finding is typically attributed to the presence of additional sensorimotor features appended to the memory trace by the act of reading aloud, which are not present for items read silently. Supporting this perspective, the production effect tends to be larger for singing (the singing superiority effect) than reading aloud, possibly due to the inclusion of further sensorimotor features (e.g., more pronounced tone). However, the singing superiority effect has not always replicated. Across four experiments, we demonstrate a production effect for items read aloud but observe a singing superiority effect only when items are tested in the same color in which they were studied (with foils randomized to color). A series of meta-analytic models revealed the singing superiority effect to be smaller than previously thought and to emerge only when test items are presented in the same color in which they were studied. This outcome is inconsistent with common distinctiveness-based theoretical accounts.

This study explores the enhancement of MMR vaccination rates in the deep south of Thailand through a culturally tailored intervention that incorporates storytelling and singing, aligning with local cultural and religious values. The \"Anees has Measles\" intervention, developed with input from community stakeholders including health workers, religious leaders, and parents, featured traditional melodies in its singing activities. The intervention comprised two main components: storytelling sessions and singing activities, both utilizing culturally resonant content and formats to effectively engage the community. Conducted from December 2019 to March 2020 across eight districts in five provinces, the study targeted children aged 18 months to 5 years in government child care centers. Results indicated a substantial increase in MMR vaccination coverage from 44.3% to 72.0% twelve months post-intervention, and further to 77.0% at 48 months post-intervention, representing a significant and sustained improvement (p < 0.001). This marked and continuous increase demonstrates the effectiveness of culturally adapted health education in areas with significant vaccine hesitancy. The findings highlight the importance of integrating culturally and religiously sensitive methods into public health strategies, significantly enhancing vaccine acceptance and coverage in diverse and conservative settings. This approach suggests a broader applicability for similar interventions in comparable contexts globally.

Darwin proposed that blushing-the reddening of the face owing to heightened self-awareness-is \'the most human of all expressions\'. Yet, relatively little is known about the underlying mechanisms of blushing. Theories diverge on whether it is a rapid, spontaneous emotional response that does not involve reflection upon the self or whether it results from higher-order socio-cognitive processes. Investigating the neural substrates of blushing can shed light on the mental processes underlying blushing and the mechanisms involved in self-awareness. To reveal neural activity associated with blushing, 16-20 year-old participants (n = 40) watched pre-recorded videos of themselves (versus other people as a control condition) singing karaoke in a magnetic resonance imaging scanner. We measured participants\' cheek temperature increase-an indicator of blushing-and their brain activity. The results showed that blushing is higher when watching oneself versus others sing. Those who blushed more while watching themselves sing had, on average, higher activation in the cerebellum (lobule V) and the left paracentral lobe and exhibited more time-locked processing of the videos in early visual cortices. These findings show that blushing is associated with the activation of brain areas involved in emotional arousal, suggesting that it may occur independently of higher-order socio-cognitive processes. Our results provide new avenues for future research on self-awareness in infants and non-human animals.

Music is ubiquitous, both in its instrumental and vocal forms. While speech perception at birth has been at the core of an extensive corpus of research, the origins of the ability to discriminate instrumental or vocal melodies is still not well investigated. In previous studies comparing vocal and musical perception, the vocal stimuli were mainly related to speaking, including language, and not to the non-language singing voice. In the present study, to better compare a melodic instrumental line with the voice, we used singing as a comparison stimulus, to reduce the dissimilarities between the two stimuli as much as possible, separating language perception from vocal musical perception. In the present study, 45 newborns were scanned, 10 full-term born infants and 35 preterm infants at term-equivalent age (mean gestational age at test = 40.17 weeks, SD = 0.44) using functional magnetic resonance imaging while listening to five melodies played by a musical instrument (flute) or sung by a female voice. To examine the dynamic task-based effective connectivity, we employed a psychophysiological interaction of co-activation patterns (PPI-CAPs) analysis, using the auditory cortices as seed region, to investigate moment-to-moment changes in task-driven modulation of cortical activity during an fMRI task. Our findings reveal condition-specific, dynamically occurring patterns of co-activation (PPI-CAPs). During the vocal condition, the auditory cortex co-activates with the sensorimotor and salience networks, while during the instrumental condition, it co-activates with the visual cortex and the superior frontal cortex. Our results show that the vocal stimulus elicits sensorimotor aspects of the auditory perception and is processed as a more salient stimulus while the instrumental condition activated higher-order cognitive and visuo-spatial networks. Common neural signatures for both auditory stimuli were found in the precuneus and posterior cingulate gyrus. Finally, this study adds knowledge on the dynamic brain connectivity underlying the newborns capability of early and specialized auditory processing, highlighting the relevance of dynamic approaches to study brain function in newborn populations.