Doctors create music-making app to help reduce brain fog in cancer patients

A music-making app has been developed by doctors to help battle brain fog in cancer patients.

The app named ARMcan has been developed by a team of doctors from the University of Cincinnati including neuro-oncologist Dr. Soma Sengupta.

The app allows users to stream their favourite music and create their own music. Therefore it can work on developing their concentration and cognitive abilities as multitasking can become difficult for cancer patients.

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According to WFMZ-TV Dr. Soma Sengupta said: "I wanted an app that could allow patients to express their musical ability," Sengupta said. "In other words, to have musical turns where you could overlay genres and create your own music track."

The app, Sengupta added, is "helping the rewiring and exercising areas of the brain that normally wouldn't do it."

There is currently no medical treatment for brain fog and so the app is being tested by the university on breast cancer survivors to see how it can ease brain fog.

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Patients put into groups that either listen to music or makes music for 15 minutes every day. These activities should be helping to stimulate parts of their brains that would normally not be exercised by traditional treatments.

The people within the study will have multiple MRI scans to track their progress and measure how effective music therapy can be.

Becky Buckle is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Twitter