Music Therapy to Promote Emotion and Cognition for Dementia

Chang Gung Medical Foundation

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Dementia

Treatments: Behavioral: Music Therapy Group Session

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01958983

101-3041B

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine if the effects of music therapy alter emotion and cognition performances of individuals with mild to moderate dementia. The music therapy intervention protocol is structured by drum improvisation, rhythm imitation, music cognition and song discussion. Attentive listening and active participation of the music training activities allow participants to utilize their focus of attention and comprehension of informational texts. Music therapy intervention is proposed to provide positive stimulations on emotion and cognitive functions of individuals with dementia. The results of the present study will clarify relationship between the effect of music therapy and the neural substrate of music therapy in anatomical and functional brain data obtained from MRI (fMRI).

Full description

Individuals with dementia often exhibit deterioration in cognitive functions and experience changes in emotions and personalities. Due to the changes in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, individuals with dementia often experience an impaired ability to judge situations. Empirical studies have indicated that cognitive stimulation is essential to facilitate individuals with dementia in thinking, concentration, and memory. Structured music activities provide cognitive stimulation to individuals with dementia through attentive listening and active participation. Additionally, drum improvisation not only reflects the current status of an individual, but also serves as an audio feedback through free play.

Enrollment: 30 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 55 to 75 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• a mild dementia diagnosis with Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) score: 1 and The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score: 18-24

Exclusion criteria

• significant visual and hearing impairment that hinders music listening and score reading
• for fMRI safty: with shrapnel or other metal or electronic implants in their bodies

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Music Therapy Group Session

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive 60-minute group session twice a week over 2 months of period. Each session will be led by a music therapist. The contents of the music therapy session include drumming, rhythm imitation, score reading, lyrics comprehension, singing, and song discussion.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Music Therapy Group Session

No Music Therapy Session

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants will receive pre- and post-assessments and evaluations at 0 and 2 months. No intervention will be provided. Music therapy sessions will be offered to participants in completion of their study participation.