Basic Anatomy and Physiology for the Music Therapist

Daniel J. Schneck

• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN:
  9781849057561
• eBook ISBN:
  9780857009920
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Medical Theory, Practice & Reference
• Index: Psychology

Providing need-to-know information about the human body for music therapists, this book covers the elements of anatomy and physiology that are of particular relevance to clinical practice.

Addressing both the structure and function of the human body, the material is presented with the music therapist in mind. Particular attention is paid to the role of music in affecting responses from the organ systems, including the senses, the endocrine glands, the immune system, the musculo-skeletal system, the nervous systems and the vestibular system. Dr Schneck also uses accessible musical metaphors to explain complex biological information.

Emphasising the symbiotic relationship between music and the body, this book reveals how an understanding of this relationship can help music therapists to practice more effectively, and will be of interest to students and practitioners alike.

PART I

WHAT IS
THIS THING
CALLED “ME”?

CHAPTER 1

Brief Overview of the Entire Human Body

Six Levels of Organization

Atomic scale: the human body is written in the key of “C” (carbon)

In all, the “typical” adult organism of “average” build is an aqueous (“watery”), organic, complex assemblage of millions upon millions of different atoms. However, note from Table 1.1 that nearly 97 percent of one’s body weight consists of just four of them, i.e., oxygen (O), carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and nitrogen (N). The remainder includes at least 40 other elements—more than half of them (the entire right-hand column of Table 1.1) appearing in hardly measurable “trace” amounts (although they play crucial roles in affecting and controlling metabolic processes).

That oxygen and hydrogen should be so plentiful makes sense, considering that at least 60 percent or more of body weight exists as water—and salt water, at that. After all, we did originally come from the sea, hence the significant appearance and importance of sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) in Table 1.1 (Note: sodium chloride, NaCl, is sea salt). But why carbon and nitrogen? Why is carbon the “key note, C” from which all physiologic processes are “composed?” Why are we organic instruments? And what does nitrogen have to do with all of this?

Well, in the case of carbon, the short answer is that, of all the known chemical elements, this one is the most versatile, congenial, “sociable,” flexible, and outreaching—easy to deal with, and quite fond of and willing to interact with “others.” Thus, when it comes to choosing among all atomic candidates vying for the title of “most likely to succeed in producing complex life forms,” carbon is, by far, the clear winner! (For the long answer, see Schneck 2000a.)

As for nitrogen, observe that the air we breath is, by volume, about four-fifths nitrogen. It is not surprising, then, to learn that derived from this colorless, tasteless, odorless gas are some of the most important chemical elements required for the growth of all plants…and that nitrogen is also a necessary ingredient for the manufacture of animal tissue proteins. To address this latter role of nitrogen, we move on to the next level of anatomic organization.

Table 1.1 “Average” elemental composition of the “typical” human adult
ELEMENT	% OF BODY WEIGHT	ELEMENT	% OF BODY WEIGHT
Oxygen	63.000	Antimony	Trace
Carbon	20.700	Arsenic	Trace
Hydrogen	10.000	Barium	Trace
Nitrogen	2.800	Berylium	Trace
Calcium	1.575	Boron	Trace
Phosphorus	1.050	Cesium	Trace
SUB-TOTAL	99.125
Potassium	0.247	Chromium	Trace
Sulfur	0.207	Cobalt	Trace
Chlorine	0.137	Gold	Trace
Sodium	0.131	Iodine	Trace
Magnesium	0.034	Lithium	Trace
Silicon	0.026	Manganese	Trace
SUB-TOTAL	99.907
Iron	0.0050	Mercury	Trace
Fluorine	0.0037	Molybdenum	Trace
Zinc	0.0033	Nickel	Trace
Rubidium	0.0005	Radium	Trace
Strontium	0.0005	Selenium	Trace
Bromine	0.0003	Silver	Trace
Lead	0.0002	Tin	Trace
Copper	0.0001	Tungsten	Trace
Aluminum	0.0001	Uranium	Trace
Cadmium	0.0001	Vanadium	Trace
SUB-TOTAL	99.9208	TOTAL	100.0%

Combinations of atoms: the molecular level of anatomical organization (musical “notes”)

The atoms of the human body are assembled into complex, polymeric, chemical chains that give birth to “the symphony of life.” Analogous to musical notes, these molecular chains are classified as follows.

Carbohydrates

Of what kinds of organic compounds is the human body “composed?” Well, for one thing, by adding water, H2O, to carbon, C, i.e., hydrating it, one can form compounds called, logically enough, carbohydrates. These include all starches and sugars (called polysaccharides ). In general, one can add “n” molecules of water (where “n” can take on integer number values, i.e., 1, 2, 3…) to “n” atoms of carbon, to form carbohydrates having the general chemical formula, (CH2O)n. These are photosynthesized in green plants from solar-energy-absorbing (hence, “photo-”) biochemical reactions, catalyzed by the green-colored enzyme chlorophyll (from the Greek chlōrós, meaning, “pale green,” and phýllon, meaning, “leaf”). The reactions combine carbon dioxide (CO2)n an...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• By The Same Author
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• Introduction: The Symbiotic Relationship Between Music and the Human Body
• PART 1 WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED “ME”?
• PART II HOW DOES “ME” WORK?
• References
• Subject Index
• Author Index