Music-Based Interventions, Aging, Alzheimer's Disease

University of Southern California

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Speech Perception; Social Behavior; Anxiety

Treatments: Behavioral: Group Music Listening; Behavioral: Choir

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06152211

APP-23-05720

Details and patient eligibility

About

Using a randomized controlled trial design, the investigators will examine the effects of music engagement through choir training on the hearing, communication, and psychosocial well-being of older adults, particularly those at heightened risk of developing dementia.

Full description

Major demographic transitions are underway in the developed world and adults aged 65 and over are the fastest growing segment of the United States population. Aging is associated with the deterioration of sensory and perceptual processes as well as a decline in cognitive functioning including attention and working memory. Advancing age is also associated with an increased risk of developing dementia including Alzheimer's disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative condition. The ε4 allele of APOE is one of three common alleles generated by cysteine/arginine substitutions. Although multiple genetic and environmental risk factors are involved in AD, the possession of the ɛ4 allele is recognized as the most common identifiable genetic risk factor for late-onset AD. The proportion of patients with AD that is attributable to the APOE ε4 is estimated to be 20% in people aged ≥ 55 years 5. Although the APOE 4 allele increases the risk of developing AD by three to fifteen times, recent studies have shown that the risk can be modified by non-genetic factors, including high education and leisure activities.

Another significant and related problem of aging is a decline in hearing abilities. Age-related hearing loss is a common problem for older adults, leading to communication difficulties, isolation, and cognitive decline. The difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments is one consequence of hearing loss that is particularly difficult to restore with hearing aids. Speech-in-noise (SIN) perception appears to be supported by both the efficiency of bottom-up sound encoding and the influence of higher-level top-down processes such as auditory working memory and selective attention. Decline in hearing and reduction in communication are associated with an increased rate of cognitive decline and the development of dementia in older adults. Decline in SIN perception can also make it difficult for aging individuals to engage socially and maintain relationships and has been linked to loneliness and depression. Indeed, poor SIN perception may contribute to cognitive decline and increased risk of dementia both through taxing cognitive load and decreasing social engagement. As a result, there is a critical need for effective and accessible interventions that target hearing, particularly interventions that are motivating and engaging and can be applied to the expanding population of older adults, especially those at higher risk of AD. The investigators will conduct an individually randomized group treatment trial to investigate the effects of choir training and its underlying neurobiological mechanisms on SIN perception and psychosocial well-being in adults ages 65 and older half carriers of APOE ε4 and the other half of non-carriers. The investigators will randomly assign approximately 66 older adults to a 16-week: (1) community choir program or (2) a group music listening program.

Enrollment: 66 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Visual and Auditory Acuity: Adequate visual and auditory acuity, with correction if necessary.
• Language Proficiency: Fluency in English to ensure complete testing.

Exclusion criteria

• Hearing Loss: Severe hearing loss not correctable with aids.
• Neurological and Otologic Conditions: History of known neurological or otologic conditions.
• Psychiatric Disorders: Current severe psychiatric disorders (past disorders not included).
• Medical Conditions: Unstable or serious medical conditions that could limit participation in assessments or weekly meetings.
• Cognitive Function: Impaired cognitive function, indicated by a score of less than 26 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).
• Music Training: Current or past professional music training, defined as 3 years of regular, formal practice, excluding typical educational curriculum music classes or singing in worship services.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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66 participants in 2 patient groups

Choir

Experimental group

Description:

For each choir session, the choir director will be supported by an accompanist who will provide the music accompaniment for the songs and four section leaders who will provide musical leadership for choral sections (soprano, alto tenor \& bass). At the beginning of each choir group, participants will be asked about their favorite songs to help ensure that the music will be appropriate for the participants' interest and cultural background. Each choir group will rehearse once a week for two hours with a short break in the middle for snacks for a total of 16 consecutive weeks. The choir rehearsals will follow a general routine, beginning with announcements and warm-ups, work on the repertoire, a break, additional work on the repertoire in sections, and a short group practice at the end. Participants will also be given at-home activities, in the form of pre-recorded videos and music theory exercises to complete outside of class for an estimated 1.5 hours per week.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Choir

Music Listening

Active Comparator group

Description:

Over the course of 16-weeks, the group will meet for two hours per week to talk about a set of musical recordings. Recorded music will be previously assigned and provided as a playlist via a web platform to track the time duration of engagement. Regular attendance will be required. The discussion group will meet as a full group each week to listen to a subset of that week's recordings, with a guided and brief discussion after each of the six selected songs. The group will then pause for a brief break and will divide into four smaller discussion groups where a volunteer facilitator from that group would guide a discussion about the selected music, to include personal reflections, its cultural context, and ideas around societal impacts.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Group Music Listening