MUSIC, MEMORY AND IDENTITY

Abstract

The present study investigates the efficacy of music therapy as a neuropsychological clinical intervention in the management of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), focusing on memory preservation and the maintenance of the patient's identity. Through a qualitative bibliographic review, the research analyzes how sound stimuli, when integrated into clinical practice, act as facilitators of neural plasticity and the retrieval of autobiographical memories. The theoretical framework is based on the interaction between cognitive and emotional systems, highlighting the functional preservation of the medial prefrontal cortex in the face of neurodegeneration. The results indicate that music therapy, divided into active and passive modalities, contributes significantly to the reduction of neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety and agitation, and strengthens the sense of identity continuity through the use of repertoires linked to the reminiscence bump. It is concluded that music, when used as a strategic tool by the neuropsychologist, transcends its recreational character, becoming an essential resource for the humanization of care, the promotion of well-being, and the preservation of human dignity in the face of progressive cognitive decline.