Description:

"Singing in Parkinson's Disease"

Presented by Elizabeth Stegemöller, PhD

Assoc. Professor, Dept. of Kinesiology

Iowa State University

Singing may be a new and novel treatment strategy for persons with Parkinson’s disease (PD). This presentation will highlight the recent research demonstrating the pervasive effect that singing has on both motor and non-motor symptoms in persons with PD, as well as, provide initial evidence of possible underlying mechanisms. Engaging examples and interactive experiences on how to use singing in PD will be included. 

Dr. Stegemöller earned her bachelor’s degrees in Music Therapy from the University of Missouri – Kansas City in 2001. She worked as a clinical music therapist before returning to graduate school earning her doctoral degree in Neuroscience at Northwestern University in 2010. Dr. Stegemöller then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Neurology and Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology at the University of Florida. Dr. Stegemöller’s main research focus is to understand the neurophysiology associated with the therapeutic effect of music in persons with Parkinson’s disease (PD).  She has completed multiple funded projects examining the effects of singing in persons with PD and has over 40 publications in her young career.