Research
The Ronnie Gardiner Method is grounded in peer-reviewed science. The following list of scientific literature has been compiled and updated to June 2026.
Grounded in science since 1993
The Ronnie Gardiner Method has been used successfully in groups with stroke, Parkinson's disease, depression, ADHD, Multiple Sclerosis, healthy ageing, dementia, autism, dyslexia and in schools with children.
Research has taken place at the Karolinska Institute, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Stockholm Stroke Association, Linkoping University, University of Auckland, and other institutions across Europe and beyond.
The literature list below includes all published studies that include RGM as a primary subject, updated to June 2026. Studies that evaluate RGM as primary research with an experimental design are highlighted.
Research collaboration enquiriesThis method is an important additive to health care for all. Research is ongoing — if you are interested in collaborating on a UK-based study, please get in touch.
What the research shows
Across neurological, educational and healthy ageing populations, RGM and closely related music-based movement methods have demonstrated consistent benefits.
Improved balance, gait and grip strength at 18-month follow-up (RCT). Enhanced working memory. Positive impact on informal caregivers. Meaningful improvements in aphasia and language recovery.
Bunketorp-Käll et al. 2017 (Stroke); Bunketorp-Käll et al. 2018; Thornberg et al. 2014; Pohl et al. 2018 (PLoS One); Schütz 2002
Feasibility confirmed. Positive motor and non-motor outcomes. Reduced fear of falling. Improved mobility, coordination and quality of life. Group delivery shown to be effective and enjoyable.
Pohl et al. 2013 (Disabil Rehabil); Pohl et al. 2020 (Clin Rehabil); Obbagy 2016; Pohl 2018 (Neurophysiology and Rehabilitation)
Cochlear implant users (Musi-CI). Older adults in New Zealand (Zawaly 2019). Cognitive and dual-task performance. Educational settings and children with learning difficulties.
Veltman et al. 2023 (Trends in Hearing); Zawaly 2019 (doctoral thesis); Harjunen et al. 2024 (scoping review); Ghai & Pohl 2026 (protocol)
Studies evaluating RGM directly
The following studies evaluate the Ronnie Gardiner Method as primary research with an experimental or exploratory design.
Listed in chronological order.
Scientific literature relevant to RGM
The following is the complete list of published scientific literature relevant to the Ronnie Gardiner Method, updated June 2026.
Studies marked with a red border directly evaluate RGM as primary research.
Bunketorp Käll L, Lundgren-Nilsson Å, Blomstrand C, et al. The effects of a rhythm and music-based therapy program and therapeutic riding in late recovery phase following stroke: a study protocol for a three-armed randomized controlled trial. BMC Neurology. 2012;12:141 — Study protocol. doi ↗
Bunketorp-Käll L, Lundgren-Nilsson Å, Samuelsson H, et al. Long-Term Improvements After Multimodal Rehabilitation in Late Phase After Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Stroke. 2017;48(7):1916–1924 PubMed ↗
Bunketorp-Käll L, Lundgren-Nilsson Å, Nilsson M, et al. Multimodal rehabilitation in the late phase after stroke enhances the life situation of informal caregivers. Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation. 2018;25(3):161–167
Ghai S, Pohl P. Evaluation of the Ronnie Gardiner Method in individuals with stroke in the late phase of recovery: a protocol for a single-blind multicentre randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open. 2026. Study protocol.
Gonzalez-Hoelling S, Bertran-Noguer C, Reig-Garcia G, et al. Effects of a Music-Based Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation on Gait and Balance in Subacute Stroke. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(4):2032
Gonzalez-Hoelling S, Reig-Garcia G, Bertran-Noguer C, et al. The Effect of Music-Based Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation on Balance and Functional Outcomes after Stroke. Healthcare (Basel). 2022;10(5):899
Harjunen L, Östlund K, Pohl P. Scoping review of the music-based movement therapy Ronnie Gardiner Method. Disability and Rehabilitation. 2024. doi ↗
Pohl P, Dizdar N, Hallert E. The Ronnie Gardiner Rhythm and Music Method — a feasibility study in Parkinson's disease. Disability and Rehabilitation. 2013;35(26):2197–204
Pohl P. The Ronnie Gardiner Method: An Innovative Music-Based Intervention for Neurological Rehabilitation — Theoretical Background and Contemporary Research with Focus on Parkinson's Disease. Neurophysiology and Rehabilitation. 2018;1(1):32–37
Pohl P, Carlsson G, Bunketorp Käll L, et al. Experiences from a multimodal rhythm and music-based rehabilitation program in late phase of stroke recovery — a qualitative study. PLoS One. 2018;13(9):e0204215
Pohl P, Wressle E, Lundin F, et al. Group-based music intervention in Parkinson's disease — findings from a mixed-methods study. Clinical Rehabilitation. 2020;34(4):533–544
Schütz M. Can the Ronnie Gardiner Method improve language, communication and quality of life for people with aphasia? University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Master thesis. 2002. Available online ↗
Thornberg K, Josephsson S, Lindquist I. Experiences of participation in rhythm and movement therapy after stroke. Disability and Rehabilitation. 2014;36(22):1869–74
Veltman J, Maas M, Hoetink AE, et al. Development of the Musi-CI Training, A Musical Listening Training for Cochlear Implant Users: A Participatory Action Research Approach. Trends in Hearing. 2023;27. doi ↗
Zawaly K. Dual cognitive and physical activities and cognitive decline in older Maori and non-Maori. University of Auckland, New Zealand. Doctoral thesis. 2019. Available online ↗
Related scientific literature
Selected papers on music, rhythm and neurological rehabilitation that provide important context for the RGM evidence base. Listed alphabetically.
Adams C, Fulton G. A cross-over pilot study on the effects of classical guitar instruction on motor and non-motor symptoms in people with Parkinson's disease. Neuroscience Insights. 2025;20. doi ↗
Ahmed GM, Fahmy E, Ibrahim MF, et al. Efficacy of rhythmic auditory stimulation on gait parameters in hemiplegic stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial. Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery. 2023;59:8. doi ↗
Allen NE, Canning CG, Almeida LRS, et al. Interventions for preventing falls in Parkinson's disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 6:CD011574, June 2022
Altenmüller E, Stewart L. Music supported therapy in neurorehabilitation. In: Oxford Textbook of Neurorehabilitation 2nd ed, Dietz V, Wards N (ed.) 2020 Oxford University Press [chapter in book]
Barnish MS, Barran SM. A systematic review of active group-based dance, singing, music therapy and theatrical interventions for quality of life, functional communication, speech, motor function and cognitive status in people with Parkinson's disease. BMC Neurology. 2020;20:371
Brieussel J, Fumel J, Ott L, et al. From Neurocognitive Frameworks to Clinical Practice: How Music and Rhythm Are Utilized by Speech-Language Pathologists. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. 2026 Mar;1–13
Brown EL, Gannotti ME, Veneri DA. Including Arts in Rehabilitation Enhances Outcomes in the Psychomotor, Cognitive, and Affective Domains: A Scoping Review. Physical Therapy. 2022;102(4). doi ↗
Chartier C, Godard J, Durand S, et al. Combinations of physical and cognitive training for subcortical neurodegenerative diseases: a systematic review. Neurological Sciences. 2024. doi ↗
Citon LF, Hamdan AC. Effectiveness of music-based interventions for cognitive rehabilitation in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review of randomized controlled clinical trials. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica. 2023;36:20
Devlin K, Alshaikh JT, Pantelyat A. Music Therapy and Music-Based Interventions for Movement Disorders. Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports. 2019;19(83). doi ↗
Ernst M, Folkerts A-K, Gollan R, et al. Physical exercise for people with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. Cochrane Review. 2024;4(4):CD013856
Gilat M, Ginis P, Zoetewei D, et al. A systematic review on exercise and training-based interventions for freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease. npj Parkinson's Disease. 2021;7(1)
Gómez-Soria I, et al. The effects of art therapy on executive functions and attention in Parkinson's disease: systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Gerontology. 2026 Jan. doi ↗
Huang X, Dong K, Gan C, et al. Effect of rhythmically cued exercise interventions on functions in patients with Parkinson disease: a meta-analysis. Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Journal. 2023;104(3)
Impellizzeri F, Maggio MG, De Pasquale P, et al. Coupling neurologic music therapy with immersive virtual reality to improve executive functions in individuals with Parkinson's disease: A quasi-randomized clinical trial. Clinical Parkinsonism & Related Disorders. 2024;100277
Ito E, Nouchi R, Dinet R, et al. The effect of music-based intervention on general cognitive and executive functions, and episodic memory in people with mild cognitive impairment and dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Healthcare. 2022;10(8):1462
Johansson H, Folkerts A-K, Hammarström I, et al. Effects of motor–cognitive training on dual-task performance in people with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Neurology. 2023;270(6):1–18
Kotov SV, Isakova EV, Zaitseva EV, et al. Multimodal Stimulation in the Neurorehabilitation of Patients with Poststroke Cognitive Impairments. Neuroscience and Behaviour Physiology. 2021;51:142–146
Lee H, Ko B. Effects of music-based interventions on motor and non-motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023;20(2):1046
Li A, Yang Y, Jiang Q, et al. Effectiveness and applications of neurologic music therapy in motor and non-motor rehabilitation for older adults with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Neurology. 2025;16:1679881. doi ↗
Li Y, Luo X, Zhang A, et al. The potential of arts therapies in Parkinson's disease rehabilitation: a comprehensive review. Heliyon. 2024. doi ↗
Liu Z, An S, Liu S, et al. Art-based interventions and non-motor outcomes in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology. 2026;17:1764300
Machado Sotomayor MJ, Arufe-Giráldez V, Ruíz-Rico G. Music therapy and Parkinson's disease: a systematic review from 2015–2020. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18:11618
Moumdjian L, Sarkamo T, Leone C, et al. Effectiveness of music-based interventions on motricity or cognitive functioning in neurological populations: a systematic review. European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. 2017;53(3):466–82
Pfeiffer CF, Magee W, Fülöp R, et al. Exploring music-based interventions for executive functioning and emotional well-being in stroke rehabilitation: a scoping review. NeuroSci. 2024;5(4):565–599. doi ↗
Schrader M, Strank T, Sterr A, et al. Effects of music-based group exercise in patients with acquired brain injury — a randomized controlled trial. Frontiers in Psychology. 2026;16:1650872
Selvaraj SKK, Cherian SA, Suresh APC, et al. Music therapy to improve functional outcomes in adults with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review with meta-analysis. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation. February 2025
Tramontano M, et al. Music-based techniques and related devices in neurorehabilitation: a scoping review. Expert Review of Medical Devices. 2021. doi ↗
Wang YN, Wen XN, Chen Y, et al. Effects of movement training based on rhythmic auditory stimulation in cognitive impairment: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials. Frontiers in Neuroscience. April 2024. doi ↗
Wei Y, Qiao Z. Neurologic music therapy's impact on neurological disorders. Journal of Neuroscience Research. 2024;102:e70000. doi ↗
Ye X, Li L, He R, et al. Rhythmic auditory stimulation promotes gait recovery in Parkinson's patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Neurology. 2022;13:940419
Zaatar MT, Alhakim K, Enayeh M, et al. The transformative power of music: insights into neuroplasticity, health, and disease. Brain, Behavior & Immunity — Health. 2023;100716
Zhou Z, Zhou R, Wei W, et al. Effects of music-based movement therapy on motor function, balance, gait, mental health, and quality of life for patients with Parkinson's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Rehabilitation. 2021;35(7)
This list is maintained by Petra Pohl and updated regularly. If you are aware of a publication that should be included, or are interested in research collaboration, please get in touch.
Get in touchWatch the research explained
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