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Musical hallucinations (MH) are the subjective experience of hearing music when none is played. They are a rare, understudied area of psychiatry. MH are more common in women and older age and have several underlying aetiologies and predisposing factors such as hearing impairment, mental illness and certain medications. There are no consensus guidelines on treatment; thus, current treatment has two broad approaches: (1) the removal of potential inciting factors (e.g. optimising hearing aids, medications) or (2) pharmacotherapy (antipsychotics, antidepressants, mood stabilisers and cognitive enhancers). This paper presents a case series of patients presenting with MH to a psychiatry of old age service in Dublin City and reviews the current literature of MH. Older age, female gender and hearing impairment are known risk factors for MH. Our findings concurred with the literature—two of three patients were female, and two of three patients suffered from hearing impairment. As this was a psychiatry of old age service, all patients were elderly. One case had a swift resolution of symptoms with a combination of an antipsychotic and antidepressant. The other two cases had limited responses to treatment despite optimising their hearing aids and trials of a number of medications at therapeutic levels. Further research into MH is needed to establish a treatment that is evidence based and symptom focused. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundMethodsResultsDiscussionIn the last decades, much research has shown that the phenomenon of “Hearing Voices” is not necessarily a symptom of psychiatric disorder but can also occur in the general population without causing serious mental health problems. Less attention has been paid to auditory experiences whose content is not verbal but musical. Although it has been hypothesised that both pathological and non-pathological phenomena, known as ”musical hallucinations” and “musical imagery’’, respectively, lie on a continuum, the boundary between these phenomena is not clear, nor why musicians experience them in a more positive way than non-musicians.The following study involved 32 musicians to explore how they configure and manage the experience of hearing music in the absence of stimuli. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis methodology.The findings suggest that musicians configure this phenomenon as a natural consequence of their musical education and seek to take professional advantage of them or to develop their ability to recall them.In conclusion, the experience of hearing music in the absence of corresponding stimuli may be configured as an adaptive phenomenon, especially in the musical context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Musical hallucinations (MHs) is a heterogeneous phenomenon. Multiple case reports and series have improved our understanding of this complex phenomenon. This systematic review aims to assess the available evidence regarding MHs. Methods: PubMed and ProQuest databases were searched for articles published between 2005 and 2022. The keywords used for the search were "music," "musical," "hallucinations," and "hallucinosis." Results: The search identified 421 articles; however, only 67 were selected. A total of 77 patients were selected from case reports and series. We identified 50 articles with single cases, four articles with two cases, four articles with three cases, and one article with six cases. Eight additional articles that provided information regarding the prevalence of MHs were included in the review. Conclusions: MHs are common among older individuals, women, and hearing-impaired individuals. The etiologies include psychiatric, neurological, hearing impairments, and substances. Content of MHs is typically familiar songs/music. No randomized controlled studies are available for determining the treatment for MHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is the influence of music on the brain? And in what cases can this influence cause dysfunctioning? Among the different examples analyzed by Oliver Sacks, one is particularly significant: the phenomenon of synesthesia. Synesthesia is connected to having an extra one that associates different kinds of sensory information, music, and color. It can sometimes transform hearing music as a painful experience, transforming it into a pure literal meaning – to feel together – the secret condition for all sensations? This hypothesis is examined by the French philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty. After all, Wagner was subject to synesthetic syndromes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Hearing music inside our heads is frequent, however some hear it more vividly, constantly and involuntarily. Musical Hallucinations (MH), first described by Baillarger in 1846, are a complex type of auditory hallucination characterized by perception of melodies, music, or songs. Objectives This work aims to review the literature considering MH. Methods Pubmed and Google Scholar search using MeSH term “musical hallucinations” Results MH occurs in 0.16% of the population. They´re usually perceived as frightening or annoying. Proposed mechanisms include spontaneous activity triggered by sensory deprivation from hearing impairment, like in visual hallucinations in Charles Bonnet syndrome, and some authors even include MH as a subtype of this syndrome. Indeed, 60% of all patients with MH have hearing impairment or deafness. Other less frequent causes include focal brain lesions involving the auditory pathway and cortex, temporal epilepsy, metabolic or drug intoxication. Psychiatric conditions are uncommon but not impossible, especially in affective disorders. MH most frequently consist in familiar tunes, sometimes of personal significance, religious songs (especially in older patients), childhood songs, folk and popular songs from the radio - suggesting that musical perception is never unlearned but represents a “parasitic memory”, an unchangeable memory feature which can be experienced by relevant neuronal circuit stimulation. Most patients with MH were reported to have no extraordinary musical skills. Conclusions MH are rare and strongly associated with hearing loss, though investigation of other causes should be sought. Treating the underlying cause is important but remission is not guaranteed. Disclosure No significant relationships.

Background: Inhibitory low frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the temporo-parietal area has been applied to treat both auditory verbal hallucinations as well as tinnitus. Objective: We hypothesized that 1 Hz rTMS to the left temporoparietal junction (TPJ) may be beneficial in alleviating musical hallucinations (MH), another condition with auditory experiences in the absence of an external source. Methods: Here we describe a patient with almost insufferable life-long MH with comorbid depression, who received inhibitory rTMS to the left TPJ as well as the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Results: The intrusiveness and frequency of her MH as well as her depressive symptoms alleviated quickly and substantially, and once-a-week maintenance therapy with rTMS seemed to preserve this amelioration. Future studies will hopefully reveal whether this is a viable treatment approach for other patients suffering from MH with or without comorbid depression.

Musical hallucinations (MH) represent a rare and complex auditory phenomenon where individuals perceive music without external stimuli. This case study explores auditory Charles Bonnet syndrome (ACBS) in a 51-year-old male with a history of bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The patient reported hearing recognizable prayer chants, initially perceived as external sounds from a nearby temple. Over time, these hallucinations persisted and interfered with his daily activities, prompting medical consultation. Despite the absence of psychiatric illness, the patient was diagnosed with ACBS and treated with risperidone, an atypical antipsychotic. The intervention led to a significant reduction in the frequency and intensity of the hallucinations, alongside improved sleep and concentration. The patient also experienced a recurrence of symptoms upon discontinuation of the medication, highlighting the importance of adherence to treatment. This case underscores the need for awareness and understanding of non-psychotic auditory hallucinations in individuals with hearing impairments. The pathophysiology of MH is not fully understood but is believed to involve abnormal activity in the auditory associative cortices due to sensory deprivation. Treatment approaches often include both pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies, such as optimizing hearing with aids and providing psychoeducation. This study contributes to the limited literature on ACBS and emphasizes the efficacy of antipsychotics in managing MH. Further research is essential to explore the underlying mechanisms and to develop comprehensive management plans for patients experiencing these distressing auditory phenomena. The findings advocate for a multidisciplinary approach to treatment, integrating audiological and psychiatric care to improve patient outcomes., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, D et al.)

Purpose: Musical hallucinations (MH) are a subset of complex auditory hallucinations in which individuals perceive music in the absence of an external auditory stimulus. It is a rare phenomenon, first described by Ballinger in 1846, with diverse presentations from familiar childhood melodies to a simple pitch which evolved into the harmonies Robert Schumann incorporated in his sole Violin Concerto. Views: This uncommon phenomenon has diverse etiologies, including psychiatric and neurological backgrounds, which guide its classification and methods of treatment. The pathophysiological basis of MH remains understood incompletely, potentially resulting from lesions anywhere along the auditory pathway, from the external auditory canal to the auditory cortex. The strong association between MH and hearing impairment has led researchers to hypothesize that MH represent a "release phenomenon," in which sensory deprivation, eliminating the afferent input to the auditory sensory network, instigates spontaneous activity within a system -- comparable to the Charles Bonnet syndrome, in which visual impairment precipitates the development of visual hallucinations (so called auditory Charles Bonnet syndrome), and phantom limb syndrome, in which amputees experience sensations in a limb that is not no longer there. In this paper, we report on six cases of MH in patients with cerebrovascular disease, who presented to the neurology department at the Poznan University of Medical Sciences from 2015 to 2018. Conclusions: We discuss the findings of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of six cases of MH in patients with cerebrovascular disease, and the treatment leading to its resolution. We briefly review the literature on MH in patients with cerebrovascular diseases, discussing their suggested pathophysiology, clinical presentations and response to medical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 67-year-old woman was hospitalized for rehabilitation from the after effects of a traumatic brain injury. In addition to memory impairment, attention disorder, and executive dysfunction, she experienced musical hallucinations. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed cerebral contusion in the bilateral temporal lobes and the left frontal lobe. Case reports of musical hallucinations caused by traumatic brain injury are extremely rare.

Inhibitory low frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the temporo-parietal area has been applied to treat both auditory verbal hallucinations as well as tinnitus. We hypothesized that 1 Hz rTMS to the left temporoparietal junction (TPJ) may be beneficial in alleviating musical hallucinations (MH), another condition with auditory experiences in the absence of an external source. Here we describe a patient with almost insufferable life-long MH with comorbid depression, who received inhibitory rTMS to the left TPJ as well as the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The intrusiveness and frequency of her MH as well as her depressive symptoms alleviated quickly and substantially, and once-a-week maintenance therapy with rTMS seemed to preserve this amelioration. Future studies will hopefully reveal whether this is a viable treatment approach for other patients suffering from MH with or without comorbid depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Similar to visual hallucinations in visually impaired patients, auditory hallucinations are often suggested to occur in adults with hearing impairment. However, research on this association is limited. This observational, cross-sectional study tested whether auditory hallucinations are associated with hearing impairment, by assessing their prevalence in an adult population with various degrees of objectified hearing impairment. Methods: Hallucination presence was determined in 1007 subjects aged 18–92, who were referred for audiometric testing to the Department of ENT-Audiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands. The presence and severity of hearing impairment were calculated using mean air conduction thresholds from the most recent pure tone audiometry. Results: Out of 829 participants with hearing impairment, 16.2% (n = 134) had experienced auditory hallucinations in the past 4 weeks; significantly more than the non-impaired group [5.8%; n = 10/173; p < 0.001, odds ratio 3.2 (95% confidence interval 1.6–6.2)]. Prevalence of auditory hallucinations significantly increased with categorized severity of impairment, with rates up to 24% in the most profoundly impaired group (p < 0.001). The corrected odds of hallucination presence increased 1.02 times for each dB of impairment in the best ear. Auditory hallucinations mostly consisted of voices (51%), music (36%), and doorbells or telephones (24%). Conclusions: Our findings reveal that auditory hallucinations are common among patients with hearing impairment, and increase with impairment severity. Although more research on potential confounding factors is necessary, clinicians should be aware of this phenomenon, by inquiring after hallucinations in hearing-impaired patients and, conversely, assessing hearing impairment in patients with auditory hallucinations, since it may be a treatable factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study is to investigate morphofunctional circuits underlying musical hallucinations (MH) in a 72-years old female that underwent a simultaneous 18fluoredeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) and advanced magnetic resonance (MR) exam. This represents a particular case of MH occurred in an healthy subject, not displaying neurological or psychopathological disorders, and studied simultaneously with a multimodal approach. For the resting-state fMRI analysis a seed to seed approach was chosen. For the task-based fMRI, 4 different auditory stimuli were presented. Imaging findings were compared with data obtained by ten healthy controls matched for age and sex. Neuropsychological evaluation and questionnaires investigating depression and anxiety were also administered. PET findings showed hypermetabolism of: superior temporal gyri, anterior cingulate, left orbital frontal, and medial temporal cortices. Structural MRI did not show macroscopical lesions except for gliotic spots along the uncinate fascicle pathways with an increased cortical thickness for the right orbitofrontal cortex (p = 0.003). DTI showed increased fractional anisotropy values in the left uncinate fascicle, when compared to controls (p = 0.04). Resting-state fMRI showed increased functional connectivity between the left inferior frontal gyrus and the left temporal fusiform cortex (p = 0.01). Task-based fMRI confirmed PET findings showing an increased activation of the superior temporal gyrus in all the auditory tasks except for the monotone stimulus, with a significant activation of the left orbital frontal cortex only during the song in foreign language, object of MH. Results on cognitive test did not show cognitive impairment, excepting for the performance on Frontal Assessment Battery where the patient fails in the cognitive domains of conceptualization, sensitive to interference, and inhibitory control. The subject did not show depressive or anxiety symptoms. Summarizing, multimodal imaging analyses in the MH case showed a microstructural alteration of the left uncinate fascicle paralleled by an increased metabolism and functional connectivity of cortical regions that receive left uncinate projections (orbital frontal cortex, and medial temporal cortex). This alteration of fronto-hyppocampal circuits could be responsible of retrieval of known songs even in the absence of real stimuli.

Highlights • We conducted a phenomenological survey comparing musical hallucinations to other inner music. • MH were more likely to be reported as externally located than other experiences. • MH were less controllable and less familiar than imagery or earworms. • MH were less likely to include lyrical content than other forms of inner music. • Individuals with higher levels of musical expertise were less likely to report MH. Abstract Musical hallucinations (MH) account for a significant proportion of auditory hallucinations, but there is a relative lack of research into their phenomenology. In contrast, much research has focused on other forms of internally generated musical experience, such as earworms (involuntary and repetitive inner music), showing that they can vary in perceived control, repetitiveness, and in their effect on mood. We conducted a large online survey (N = 270), including 44 participants with MH, asking participants to rate imagery, earworms, or MH on several variables. MH were reported as occurring less frequently, with less controllability, less lyrical content, and lower familiarity, than other forms of inner music. MH were also less likely to be reported by participants with higher levels of musical expertise. The findings are outlined in relation to other forms of hallucinatory experience and inner music, and their implications for psychological models of hallucinations discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study is to investigate morphofunctional circuits underlying musical hallucinations (MH) in a 72-years old female that underwent a simultaneous 18fluoredeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) and advanced magnetic resonance (MR) exam. This represents a particular case of MH occurred in an healthy subject, not displaying neurological or psychopathological disorders, and studied simultaneously with a multimodal approach. For the resting-state fMRI analysis a seed to seed approach was chosen. For the task-based fMRI, 4 different auditory stimuli were presented. Imaging findings were compared with data obtained by ten healthy controls matched for age and sex. Neuropsychological evaluation and questionnaires investigating depression and anxiety were also administered. PET findings showed hypermetabolism of: superior temporal gyri, anterior cingulate, left orbital frontal, and medial temporal cortices. Structural MRI did not show macroscopical lesions except for gliotic spots along the uncinate fascicle pathways with an increased cortical thickness for the right orbitofrontal cortex (p = 0.003). DTI showed increased fractional anisotropy values in the left uncinate fascicle, when compared to controls (p = 0.04). Restingstate fMRI showed increased functional connectivity between the left inferior frontal gyrus and the left temporal fusiform cortex (p = 0.01). Task-based fMRI confirmed PET findings showing an increased activation of the superior temporal gyrus in all the auditory tasks except for the monotone stimulus, with a significant activation of the left orbital frontal cortex only during the song in foreign language, object of MH. Results on cognitive test did not show cognitive impairment, excepting for the performance on Frontal Assessment Battery where the patient fails in the cognitive domains of conceptualization, sensitive to interference, and inhibitory control. The subject did not show depressive or anxiety symptoms. Summarizing, multimodal imaging analyses in the MH case showed a microstructural alteration of the left uncinate fascicle paralleled by an increased metabolism and functional connectivity of cortical regions that receive left uncinate projections (orbital frontal cortex, and medial temporal cortex). This alteration of fronto-hyppocampal circuits could be responsible of retrieval of known songs even in the absence of real stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Musical hallucinations are an uncommon type of auditory hallucinations, they widely occur in elderly. Our group analyzed medical history, pharmacological therapy, neuropsychological pattern, audiometric testing, electroencephalogram, cerebral magnetic resonance and cerebral fludeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) of two patients. FDGPET showed in both patients hypometabolism pronounced in posterior regions. In particular the medial-inferior temporal cortex and the occipital associative areas were affected. Moreover, neuropsychological pattern suggested a visuospatial-executive deficit, conformed to the occipital involvement. Our reported cases might suggest that musical hallucinations have been arisen from a combination of peripheral and central dysfunction. A further explanation might be that musical hallucinations result from multiple white matter lacunar lesions due to small vascular events. A question is whether musical hallucinations might be primarily associated with occipital areas hypometabolism and visuospatial alterations typically associated with Levy body dementia (LBD).

Musical imagery can occur in at least five different conditions: (1) voluntary musical imagery: participants are asked to imagine a tune; (2) involuntary musical imagery (a.k.a. as "earworms"): music comes to mind without deliberate attempt; (3) permanent involuntary musical imagery: long-term imagery, "earworms" that become chronic and persist; (4) musical hallucinosis: a disorder associated with musical hallucinations among individuals with organic impairments such as hearing loss; and (5) musical hallucinations: music is "simply there" as a symptom of various (mental) disorders. This article is an attempt at a qualitative distinction between these imagery conditions based on a continuum of how real versus how imagery-like the percept of music is. We propose that these behavioral specifications find their neural correlate in the activation of the primary auditory cortex. The underlying etiology and (possible) pathological condition might not be the most favorable classifier of the brain activity on this level. The model suggested is based on an existing review of the literature, including metastudies and a number of single-case studies. In our view, the foremost duty in handling individuals affected by long-term imagery is to provide a proper and differentiated diagnosis, to overcome their biggest concern that they might be "turning mad." The cases reported suggest that the conditions and symptoms are stable and not progressive, which might be of some relief. A research strategy is suggested to investigate the validity of the model and to test the hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Involuntary musical imagery (INMI) is the subject of much recent research interest. INMI covers a number of experience types such as musical obsessions and musical hallucinations. One type of experience has been called earworms, for which the literature provides a number of definitions. In this article, we consider the origins of the term earworm in the German language literature and compare that usage with the English language literature. We consider the published literature on earworms and conclude that there is merit in distinguishing between earworms and other types of INMI described in the scientific literature: for example, musical hallucinations and musical obsessions. We also describe other experiences that can be considered under the term INMI. The aim of future research could be to ascertain similarities and differences between types of INMI with a view to refining the classification scheme proposed here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Musical hallucinations represent a specific form of auditory hallucinations whereby patients experience formed music without an external source. We describe a 60 year-old woman with history of bilateral hearing impairment and tinnitus who experienced both recognizable and non-recognizable songs. Curiously, she was able to reproduce non-recognizable songs in a way that could be recognized by others. This phenomenon is in line with current understanding that musical hallucinations represent abnormal activity in the auditory associative cortices, raising intriguing questions regarding memory, forgetting and access to lost memories.

We reported a case of an elderly female patient affected by musical hallucinations (MHs) as the unique symptom of a right temporal ischemic stroke. A functional magnetic resonance imaging examination was performed in the patient and in five age- and sex-matched normal controls (NC) to detect the complex neural substrate subserving MHs in such a context. Although an activation pattern involving the primary auditory cortex and the temporal associative areas bilaterally was found in the patient and NC, a significant increased activation mostly located in right temporal cortex (in the ischemic area), was observed in the patient. Further functional neuroimaging studies should be performed to detect the complex neural pathways underlying MHs and to find out differences between these hallucinations and real music perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Musical hallucinations as an isolated symptom is an extremely rare presentation. The case of an elderly female presenting with musical hallucinations in the absence of any other demonstrable pathology is reported, discussing the evaluation of possible differential diagnoses and the management of symptoms.DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljpsyc.v4i1.5723Sri Lanka Journal of Psychiatry Vol 4(1) June 2013 Page 18-19

Music involves multiple cognitive areas, musical data is processed by professional musician´s preferable in the left hemisphere, whereas general subjects without musical skills with their right hemisphere. Some neurological disorders diminish or increase the musical abilities, or in some rare cases like in musicogenic epilepsy, music can triggers or induce the epileptic fits or events. The first data involving music and neurology is from professional musicians whom presented or debuted with neurological disorders and, developed alterations in their musical abilities; these first studies awaken the neuroscientific community interest in cognitive areas of music, actually some neurologic-musical disorders had been described like a music disorder, musicogenic epilepsy, musical Savant syndrome, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 52-year-old woman with musical hallucinations was examined using brain single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with 99mTc-ECD. Changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) after carbamazepine treatment were assessed using a three-dimensional stereotaxic ROI template. Following treatment, rCBF was decreased in the subcortical structures and increased in the global cortical regions. From our findings, we propose that rCBF values in subcortical structures represent abnormalities similar to those reported in previous reports or other psychiatric disorders, while those in cortical regions suggest background brain dysfunctions that result in generation of musical hallucinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: World Health Organization (WHO) defines hearing loss as an impairment in perception, attention and organisation as well as in speaking, In this study, on the base of biopsychosocial theory, we aimed to determine both psychiatric symptoms of the patients who have acquired (but ideopathic) hearing impairment/loss, and also, if there was, an association between this physical illness and psychiatric symptoms. Methods: The groups of patients with mild, moderate and severe hearing impairment and a healthy control group were enrolled in the study. Each group contained 30 persons. A sociodemographic questionnaire, the Symptom Check List 90-Revised Form (SCL-90-R) and the Non-Patients Form of Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (SCID-NP) were used. Results: The psychopathology that have been found in our study was 35.6% in patients group versus 20% in controls. 30-50% of patients with hearing loss reported both social and psychological problems. According to SCL-90-R, in the patients' groups who had especially moderate and severe hearing loss were more paranoid and depressive; they had more eating and sleeping difficulties; also they complained more from musical hallucinations (25%) and their scores of positive symptoms and of additional scales in SCL-90-R were higher than the controls (p< 0.001). In SCID-NP, especially the hallucination, the paranoia and the depression scores were higher in patients with hearing loss. Conclusion: The reasons for psychiatric symptoms in the patients with hearing impairment or loss are multiethiological and it is known that disability is the major ethiological factor. The results of our study showed us that the psychiatry and the other medical disciplines should always work together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent functional neuroimaging studies implicate the network of mesolimbic structures known to be active in reward processing as the neural substrate of pleasure associated with listening to music. Psychoacoustic and lesion studies suggest that there is a widely distributed cortical network involved in processing discreet musical variables. Here we present the case of a young man with auditory agnosia as the consequence of cortical neurodegeneration who continues to experience pleasure when exposed to music. In a series of musical tasks, the subject was unable to accurately identify any of the perceptual components of music beyond simple pitch discrimination, including musical variables known to impact the perception of affect. The subject subsequently misidentified the musical character of personally familiar tunes presented experimentally, but continued to report that the activity of 'listening' to specific musical genres was an emotionally rewarding experience. The implications of this case for the evolving understanding of music perception, music misperception, music memory, and music-associated emotion are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reported herein is a case of obsessive–compulsive disorder with persistent and distressing musical obsessions along with other symptoms. Advanced source analysis of electroencephalographic data indicated high spectral power over the bifrontal region. The musical symptoms were resistant to pharmacotherapy but there was some reduction in frequency and duration of musical obsessions with thought-stopping technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report a case of an 83-year-old man with vascular depression associated with musical hallucinations. Brain magnetic resonance imaging disclosed diffuse brain atrophy with multiple higher-density zones in the white matter and basal ganglia. Single photon emission computed tomography images showed areas of hypoperfusion in the bilateral temporal lobe and basal ganglia. Combination treatment with paroxetine and a low dose of risperidone rapidly improved both the depressive symptoms and musical hallucinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dipyridamole is an antiplatelet agent and a vasodilator which is increasingly being used for the secondary prevention of ischaemic stroke and transient ischemic attack, either alone or in combination with acetylsalicylic acid. We describe an 83-year-old woman who had developed musical hallucinations within days of initiating dipyridamole. Her psychiatric and neurological evaluation was otherwise unremarkable. After the discontinuation of dipyridamole the hallucinations ceased within a couple of days. To the best of our knowledge this is the first case of auditory hallucinations associated with dipyridamole reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case of bromocriptine-induced musical hallucinations in a 67-year-old patient with probable Lewy body dementia is reported. The patient was given bromocriptine for the treatment of parkinsonism. At a bromocriptine dosage of 7.5 mg, the patient complained, ‘I hear karaoke songs in the inner part of my head.’ The musical hallucinations gradually decreased after administration of the drug was discontinued. Bromocriptine is known to cause hallucinations, but not musical hallucinations. The dopaminergic effect of bromocriptine and the patient's cognitive impairment might have acted together to generate the musical hallucinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Desynchronization in the right auditory cortices, including the transverse gyrus of Heschl, planum temporale and supramarginal cortex, occurred during musical hallucinations in a 78-year-old woman with hearing impairment and depression. This phenomenon was assessed using a novel, spatially filtered magnetoencephalography (MEG) analysis, termed synthetic aperture magnetometry (SAM). In general, the affected areas are consistent with neuroimaging studies of normal musical perception and imagery, suggesting that musical hallucinations involve abnormal spontaneous activity in the neural substrate dedicated to musical perception and imagery in which false imagery occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]