Maxine Annel· Research
Music in Medicine
Exploring how music affects brain dynamics and health outcomes in cancer patients at MD Anderson
Music in Medicine is an innovative collaboration between the UH BRAIN Center and MD Anderson Cancer Center’s Music-in-Medicine Initiative, investigating how music can be prescribed to improve recovery outcomes for cancer patients. Data collection ran from November 2023 to December 2025, and we are currently working on brain synchrony analysis, functional networks, and musical analysis.
The Research
During concerts at MD Anderson, both performers and audience members wear 32-channel EEG caps to track how their brains respond to live music. The research explores:
- How a soloist’s and a non-musician’s brains respond differently
- Whether music can promote oxygenated blood flow to targeted brain regions
- The potential for music to reduce brain inflammation and ease symptoms
Clinical Applications
The ultimate goal is to determine if music can be prescribed for surgeons and patients during operations and afterwards to improve outcomes. Different types of music target different pathways in the brain, and listening to a mix of familiar and unfamiliar music can help the brain recover from surgery or stroke.
Key Findings
Research has shown that listening to prescribed music enhances blood flow to brain regions associated with emotional regulation and empathy. Surgeons perform certain tasks more accurately and efficiently when exposed to classical music.
The Team
- Dr. Mei Rui — Associate Professor of Neurosurgery, MD Anderson & Concert Pianist
- Dr. Frederick Lang — Chief of Neurosurgery, MD Anderson
- Dr. Jose L. Contreras-Vidal — Director, UH BRAIN Center
- Technical Support — UH Neuro-Engineering Team
Concert Series
The Music in Medicine concert series features world-class performances by artistic partners from around the globe, with live data capture to assess the neurophysiological impact of immersive concerts on brain dynamics, stress biomarkers, and wellness outcomes.
Open Data
The research data from the Music in Medicine concert series is publicly available on figshare: