Clinical and Demographic Factors Associated with the Cognitive and Emotional Efficacy of Regular Musical Activities in Dementia

Abstract

Recent evidence suggests that music-based interventions can be beneficial in maintaining cognitive, emotional, and social functioning in persons with dementia (PWDs). Our aim was to determine how clinical, demographic, and musical background factors influence the cognitive and emotional efficacy of caregiver-implemented musical activities in PWDs. In a randomized controlled trial, 89 PWD-caregiver dyads received a 10-week music coaching intervention involving either singing or music listening or standard care. Extensive neuropsychological testing and mood and quality of life (QoL) measures were performed before and after the intervention (n = 84) and six months later (n = 74). The potential effects of six key background variables (dementia etiology and severity, age, care situation, singing/instrument playing background) on the outcome of the intervention were assessed. Singing was beneficial especially in improving working memory in PWDs with mild dementia and in maintaining executive function and orientation in younger PWDs. Music listening was beneficial in supporting general cognition, working memory, and QoL especially in PWDs with moderate dementia not caused by Alzheimer's disease (AD) who were in institutional care. Both music interventions alleviated depression especially in PWDs with mild dementia and AD. The musical background of the PWD did not influence the efficacy of the music interventions. Our findings suggest that clinical and demographic factors can influence the cognitive and emotional efficacy of caregiver-implemented musical activities and are, therefore, recommended to take into account when applying and developing the intervention to achieve the greatest benefit.

Golden oldies and silver brains: Deficits, preservation, learning, and rehabilitation effects of music in ageing-related neurological disorders

“…Särkämö et al (2008Särkämö et al ( , 2010Särkämö et al ( , 2014a. Särkämö et al (2014bSärkämö et al ( , 2016a.…”

“…The emotional and well-being effects of singing in dementia have thus far been explored in two RCTs and in one non-randomised study. In our own three-arm RCT (see above), the singing intervention (familiar songs sung in a group and in a PWD-caregiver dyadic setting at home) was found to be effective short-term in reducing depression ( Figure 5A), especially the physical signs of depression (e.g, lack of energy), as well as long-term in reducing caregiver stress and burden ( Figure 5B) (Särkämö et al, 2014(Särkämö et al, , 2016a. In a smaller non-RCT study on mild-moderate PWDs (N = 20), Satoh et al (2015) also observed that a 6-month karaoke-based singing training reduced neuropsychiatric symptoms and improved sleep time compared to a control group.…”

Self-Perceived Quality of Life Among Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease: Two Longitudinal Models of Analysis

“…A recent review of six randomized controlled studies found beneficial effects with respect to depression and anxiety symptoms [52]. Music therapy has also been shown to have some benefits with regard to reducing neuropsychiatric symptoms [53,54], improving symptoms of anxiety and depression [55,56], enhancing cognitive performance and quality of life [55,57], and even for improving or stabilizing certain aspects of self-awareness [58]. Other studies have found that cognitive stimulation therapy can improve cognition [59,60] and quality of life [59,61], reducing apathy and symptoms of depression.…”

Pilot Randomised Evaluation of Singing in Dementia (PRESIDE): Protocol for a Two-Arm, Parallel Group Randomised Controlled Feasibility Study with Waiting-List Control

“…Community group singing is growing in popularity as an activity to support the mental wellbeing of people with dementia and their carers. There is evidence from neuropsychology that singing provides cognitive stimulation through multiple effects on the brain, but that response to singing is mediated by clinical and demographic factors [5]. A randomised trial compared the effects of singing, listening to music and usual care for person with dementia/carer dyads, and found that both singing and listening to music improved mood, orientation and remote episodic memory, whilst singing also improved carer wellbeing [6].…”