Interview with Prof. Michael Thaut – World Congress for Neurorehabilitation (WCNR) Vienna 2022

Interviewee: Professor Michael Thaut, Professor of Music at the University of Toronto, Canada

Interviewer: Stefana-Andrada Dobran

This interview with Professor Michael Thaut was taken on the occasion of the 12th World Congress for Neurorehabilitation (WCNR), held in Vienna in December 2022.

Introducing Professor Michael Thaut, Professor of Music at the University of Toronto with cross-appointments in the Faculty of Medicine, Collaborator Scientist at the CAMH Neuroimaging Research Center, and Affiliate Scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael’ Hospital, Toronto.

Professor Michael Thaut is a renowned global expert in the neuroscience of music and the applications of auditory neuroscience to neurological rehabilitation. Prof. Thaut, along with his team, developed the clinical system of Neurologic Music Therapy, an innovative therapeutic use of music applied to sensory, speech and language, cognitive, and motor dysfunctions after a neurologic event or diagnosis. This therapeutic methodology has attained global recognition and is now an integral component of neurorehabilitation efforts worldwide. Its evidence-based effectiveness has been officially endorsed by the World Federation of Neurorehabilitation.

Professor Thaut shared insights into his participation in prior World Congresses on Neurorehabilitation and his perspective on the events, and also delved into the overarching theme of the 2022 Congress. This theme underscored a diverse array of topics and highlighted WFNR’s mission to enhance neurorehabilitation on a global scale. Moreover, Prof. Michael Thaut emphasized the crucial role of hybrid multidisciplinary events in ensuring universal access to information.

Professor Thaut also delved into the profound impact of neurological music therapy (NMT) on the restoration of neurological functions, with specific attention to its effects on motor control in cases of stroke and Parkinson’s disease. Within this context, he emphasized the guiding influence of the Academy for Neurologic Music Therapy in shaping training and certification processes in this domain.

Furthermore, he shared his perspective on the awareness level among specialists concerning NMT. While acknowledging the substantial growth of this field, he highlighted the necessity for heightened visibility to further its impact.

We kindly invite you to browse our Interview category: https://efnr.org/category/interviews/For sure you will find a cluster of informative discussions with different specialists in the field of neurorehabilitation.