Stroke Recovery and Music or No Music

This is a prospective, investigator-blinded and outcome assessor-blinded, randomized, single-center study in subjects 18-90 years old who have sustained an ischemic stroke within 30 days to 5 years. Study subjects will be randomized 1:1 to receive one of two types of listening sessions: music or spoken word (language) listening. Each arm will enroll a total of ten subjects, with a total study population of 20 subjects. Subjects will follow a 90-day listening schedule. Subjects will complete a baseline Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), modified Rankin Score (mRS), motor function tests, neuropsychological evaluations and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) brain evaluation. Follow-up evaluations on day 45 (+/- 7 days) and on day 90 (+/-7days) and will include NIHSS/mRS, motor function tests, neuropsychological evaluations and fMRI Brain evaluation. All subjects will continue to receive standard of care treatment for stroke as directed by their physician(s) regardless of study enrollment. The primary objective is to determine the quantitative increase in connectivity, as measured by fMRI brain and calculated as a percent increase from baseline. The secondary objectives include the effect of music and language listening in improving motor function and neuropsychological development in patients with an ischemic stroke.