Musical and temporal auditory skills in cochlear implant users after music therapy.

Purpose: Verify the performance of musical perception and temporal auditory resolution and ordering skills in pre- and post-music therapy patients with cochlear implants (CI).

Methods: Study participants were 11 postlingual CI users with mean age of 47.64 years. All individuals underwent 10 weekly music therapy sessions. Auditory assessment was conducted using the Montreal Battery of Evaluation of Amusia (MBEA) and the Frequency Pattern Test (FPT). All participants were submitted to a placebo condition prior to music therapy and were evaluated at three different times.

Results: Significant improvement was observed in the subtests of contour and melody memory after music therapy. No placebo effect or difference in the FPT was observed after music therapy.

Conclusion: Music therapy is a useful tool to improve musical skills in adult postlingual users of CI.