The effect of learning to drum on behavior and brain function in autistic adolescents.

Researchers taught 36 autistic teenagers to play drums for 8 weeks (2 lessons per week). Compared to teens who didn't get drum lessons, those who learned drumming showed less hyperactive and inattentive behavior. Brain scans revealed improved connections in areas that help with self-control and attention. This suggests drumming could be a helpful activity for autistic teens struggling with attention and behavior challenges.

This randomized controlled trial examined the effects of 8-week drum training on behavior and brain function in 36 autistic adolescents with no prior drumming experience. Participants were randomly assigned to receive individual drum lessons (two lessons per week) or no intervention. The study found that drum training significantly reduced hyperactivity and inattention difficulties compared to controls. fMRI results demonstrated increased functional connectivity in brain regions associated with inhibitory control, action monitoring, and self-regulation, including the right inferior frontal gyrus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Additional changes were observed in medial frontal cortex, paracingulate cortex, subcallosal cortex, frontal pole, caudate, and nucleus accumbens.

These findings suggest drum-based interventions may benefit autistic adolescents with behavioral difficulties through neuroplastic changes in executive function networks.

Drum training shows promise as a non-pharmacological intervention for reducing hyperactivity and inattention in autistic adolescents. The neuroplastic changes observed suggest potential for meaningful therapeutic benefits. Further research needed to establish optimal dosing, long-term effects, and broader applicability across autism spectrum.

Small sample size of 36 participants limits generalizability. Short 8-week intervention period may not reflect long-term effects. No details provided about control group activities or blinding procedures. Unclear if improvements sustained beyond the intervention period.

This current study aimed to investigate the impact of drum training on behavior and brain function in autistic adolescents with no prior drumming experience. Thirty-six autistic adolescents were recruited and randomly assigned to one of two groups. The drum group received individual drum tuition (two lessons per week over an 8-wk period), while the control group did not. All participants attended a testing session before and after the 8-wk period.

Each session included a drumming assessment, an MRI scan, and a parent completing questionnaires relating to the participants’ behavioral difficulties. Results showed that improvements in drumming performance were associated with a significant reduction in hyperactivity and inattention difficulties in drummers compared to controls. The fMRI results demonstrated increased functional connectivity in brain areas responsible for inhibitory control, action outcomes monitoring, and self-regulation. In particular, seed-to-voxel analyses revealed an increased functional connectivity in the right inferior frontal gyrus and the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

A multivariate pattern analysis demonstrated significant changes in the medial frontal cortex, the left and right paracingulate cortex, the subcallosal cortex, the left frontal pole, the caudate, and the left nucleus accumbens. In conclusion, this study investigates the impact of a drum-based intervention on neural and behavioral outcomes in autistic adolescents. We hope that these findings will inform further research and trials into the potential use of drum-based interventions in benefitting clinical populations with inhibition-related disorders and emotional and behavioral difficulties.