Music and the Aging Brain: Importance of Music Therapy and Music-based Interventions in Senior Health Care

Joanna Peña-Bickley (Vibes AI) joins the Music Has Power® Symposium to explore how human-centered design, AI, and neurotechnology can scale music-based interventions and translate innovation into everyday care.

NYU’s Dr. Pablo Ripollés joins the Music Has Power® Symposium to examine how music engages reward and memory systems - and how these mechanisms translate to health and well-being.

On November 8, IMNF’s Dr. Tomaino joins WMI’s “Sacred Sounds of Healing” panel, examining how evidence and tradition inform sound’s impact on health. Free registration.

On Oct 9, 2025, IMNF’s Executive Director presents evidence-informed approaches to music therapy at UCES’s “Music & Movement” Biennial in Buenos Aires.

Mount Vernon, NY – Sept. 16, 2025 – Institute for Music and Neurologic today announced that Fierce Life Sciences and Fierce Healthcare have named Dr. Concetta Tomaino as one of 2025’s Fierce 50 honorees. The Fierce 50 showcases 50 individuals and companies driving advancements in medicine, fostering innovation and shaping the future of biopharma and healthcare. "The Fierce 50 of 2025 is about shining a light on the people and organizations who are genuinely making a difference in pharma, biotech and healthcare," said Ayla Ellison, Editor-in-Chief of Fierce Life Sciences and Healthcare. "These honorees are tackling some of the toughest challenges in medicine, and they're doing it with real ingenuity and heart. They're the ones developing new treatments, building companies that work better for everyone, and never losing sight of the fact that behind every breakthrough is someone's life getting better. We're proud to celebrate their work." Dr. Tomaino is a world renown music therapist and researcher who co-founded the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF) in 1995 to open dialogues across the disciplines of neuroscience and music therapy to advance knowledge about music and the brain and to create efficacious music-based interventions to help people with various brain related health issues. “It is truly an honor to be recognized by Fierce along with the other outstanding awardees. This year IMNF is celebrating its 30th anniversary. It is wonderful to celebrate our accomplishments in this way.” Dr. Tomaino Chosen by the editors of Fierce Biotech, Fierce Pharma and Fierce Healthcare, this year’s Fierce 50 honorees reflect the breadth of talent and vision shaping the life sciences and healthcare industries today. From startups to established organizations, each has made a distinct contribution, whether by advancing scientific discovery, improving the health of communities, expanding access to care, or reimagining how healthcare is delivered at a local level or on a global scale. The Fierce 50 honorees will be celebrated live at an evening gala at the Lighthouse at Pier 61 in New York on November 20th. For more information visit https://fierce50.fiercelifesciences.com/ . About Institute for Music and Neurologic Function Founded in 1995 by Concetta M. Tomaino, DA, LCAT, MT-BC, Oliver Sacks, MD and others, the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function (IMNF) is an internationally recognized non-profit agency advancing knowledge about music and the brain and offering groundbreaking music therapy programs to restore, maintain, and improve patients’ physical, emotional, and neurological function through the methodical use of music. About Questex Questex helps people live better and longer. Questex brings people together in the markets that help people live better: travel, hospitality and wellness; the industries that help people live longer: life science and healthcare; and the technologies that enable and fuel these new experiences. We live in the experience economy – connecting our ecosystem through live events, surrounded by data insights and digital communities. We deliver experience and real results. It happens here.

On Thursday, September 4, 2025, Dr. Concetta Tomaino will present to the Adult Support Group of the Epilepsy Foundation of Colorado & Wyoming’s Circle of Friends program. Her talk will focus on the healing power of music and its role in supporting individuals and families living with epilepsy. Learn more about the Circle of Friends support groups here.

IMNF Executive Director Dr. Concetta Tomaino will present “Music and the Brain” at the Project Lifesaver 2025 Annual Conference, sharing how music impacts cognitive, physical, and emotional function for those living with neurological challenges.

IMNF’s Director of Programming, Justin Russo, joins Shaping the Future of Aging to discuss how personalized music can support cognitive and emotional well-being in dementia care and other neurologic conditions.

Maejor will be honored at the 2025 Music Has Power® Awards for his visionary work at the intersection of music, healing, and innovation. Join us in celebrating his global impact and commitment to advancing the therapeutic potential of sound.