Two researchers from the University of Newcastle in Australia have found that music may be successfully used to help people with acquired brain injuries (ABIs) regain their memories.

Amee Baird and Severine Samson played five participants with ABIs extracts from Billboard Hot 100 number one singles dating back from when they were five to the present day.

They were asked to record their familiarity with the song, say if they liked it and detail any memories it evoked.

The study found that the frequency of ‘music-evoked autobiographical memories’ (MEAMs) was similar in the patients with brain injuries (38 to 71 per cent) as it was to that in the control group without memory problems (48 to 71 per cent).

Read the full story on the website of The British Psychological Society.