Parkinson’s is a common neurodegenerative condition. In the UK, on average, two people are diagnosed with Parkinson’s every hour. Whilst becoming more likely as people get older, it can start at any age. There is substantial variability in the symptoms experienced by individuals, both in presentation and progression, and many problems are invisible to the naked eye. Many of us know someone affected by Parkinson’s, yet there remain many widely held misconceptions about what people think Parkinson’s is, and the actual experience of living with the condition.

Parkinson’s is often accompanied by a rhythmic shaking movement known as tremor, that may affect the limbs, head, face or voice. Tremor is also highly variable and unique to each person. Many people living with tremor often find standard medical therapies do not help significantly, and that many other factors influence it on a day-to-day basis, such as tiredness, stress and anxiety.

Music can have a significant impact on a person’s mood and, much like the patterns of symptoms seen in Parkinson’s, musical taste is unique to each individual.

This project aimed to explore the intersection between music, mood and tremor, and was led by UCL’s Department of Imaging Neuroscience and Innocean Worldwide Europe (IWE), Berlin. It involved recording the individual pattern of tremor in five people living with Parkinson’s, and incorporating this into unique music tracks based on their musical preferences.

The tracks were released, alongside a public awareness campaign video on a bespoke project website, as an alternative method to help to better communicate individual narratives surrounding tremor and lived experience of Parkinson’s. Royalties from these tracks will be donated to Parkinson’s UK, to help fund work to help more individuals living with this condition.

Photo Credit: José Filipe Gomes, Innocean Worldwide Europe (IWE), Berlin.