Table 2.

Overview of reported cases of musical hallucinations treated with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.

Reference	Patient	Content of MHs	Tinnitus	Hearing loss	Comorbid disorders	Results of auxiliary investigations	Treatment	Clinical efficacy	Duration of follow-up
Ukai et al. (14)	F, 82 years	Old familiar songs accompanied by musical instruments which later evolved into monotonous, simple melodies	−	+	−	MRI: diffuse mild cortical atrophy consistent with aging	Donepezil 5 mg/day (plus polypharmacy)	Almost complete remission	5 years
Strauss and Gertz (15)	M, 54 years	Songs sung by a male voice, sometimes accompanied by piano or guitar, and sometimes orchestral music	+	+	Hemiparesis due to infarctions of the bilateral medial cerebral artery territories	MRI: extensive ischemic lesions in the right medial cerebral artery territory, including insular cortex and basal ganglia, and left occipital ischemic lesions	Donepezil 5 mg/day	Complete remission	8 weeks
Strauss and Gertz (15)	M, 78 years	Christmas carols and folk songs, sung by a male voice	+	+	−	MRI: symmetric diffuse brain atrophy and periventricular microangiopathic changes	Donepezil 5 mg/day	Complete remission	4 months
Zilles et al. (16)	F, 90 years	Choirs and brass music	−	+	Reactive depression	MRI: global brain atrophy, bifrontal hygromas, and a leukodystrophia-like brain parenchyma	Donepezil 5 mg/day	Complete remission	1 week
Blom et al. (17)	F, 76 years	Hymns, lullabies, pop songs, and classical tunes	−	+	Myocardial infarction	MRI: white-matter lesions, especially in the right inferior frontal area and the left parietal lobe	Rivastigmine 1.5 mg/day (plus polypharmacy)	Complete remission	4 years
Blom et al. (17)	F, 78 years	Christmas carols and (later) unrecognizable music	−	+	−	MRI: white-matter lesions, non-specific	Rivastigmine 1.5 mg/day (plus polypharmacy)	Partial remission	3 months

MHs, musical hallucinations; F, female; M, male.