Music can promote brain healing, but scientists are still trying to understand which types of music work best for each patient. Playing unfamiliar music to patients could improve music therapy outcomes. Read more at American Physical Society’s Physics online magazine.

What do stress, loneliness and lack of sleep have in common? They are all factors that can weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to COVID-19, according to Rice University’s Christopher Fagundes, an associate professor in the department of psychological sciences who studies the link between mental and immune health. Read more at Rice University News & Media.

Can music therapy slow the progression of degenerative brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia while promoting well-being? A grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) will fund a new lab at Rice University that will explore this possible new inroad in the fight against such disorders. Read more at Rice University News & Media.

Through its NEA Research Labs, the National Endowment for the Arts is funding four new labs and extending the activities of an existing lab to support research into improving social and emotional well-being and enhancing cognition and learning through the arts. The Arts Endowment’s investment in this round of labs is almost $900,000. Each lab features transdisciplinary teams of university-based researchers partnering with arts and health organizations to investigate the value and impact of the arts. Read more at arts.gov.