Music Therapy on Cognition in Neurorehabilitation

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Stroke; Traumatic Brain Injury; Dementia
• Interventions: Other: Active Music Therapy (A); Other: Passive Music Therapy (P); Other: Standard Care Control Condition (C)

• Registration Number: NCT06156735
• Lead Sponsor: University of Malaya

Brief Summary

Music therapy has received more attention with its surging application in neuro-rehabilitation overseas. Given the dearth of music therapy and cognitive rehabilitation research conducted in Malaysia, this pilot study intended to investigate the effect of active and passive music therapy interventions versus the standard care condition in cognition among adults with neuro-rehabilitation needs.

Detailed Description

Music therapy has received more attention with its surging application in neuro-rehabilitation overseas. Given the dearth of music therapy and cognitive rehabilitation research conducted in Malaysia, this pilot study intended to investigate the effect of active and passive music therapy interventions versus the standard care condition in cognition among adults with neuro-rehabilitation needs.

Thirty subjects participated in this study. Each participant received one session of each of the following: active music therapy intervention, passive music therapy intervention, and standard card. Mini-Cog tests were conducted before and after each session and the scores were collected for data analysis. Throughout the study, observations ensured the troubleshooting of any potential flaws for future recommendations.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2018-05-01
• Primary Completion: 2019-04-30
• Study Completion: 2020-01-21
• Study First Submitted: 2023-08-02
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-11-26
• Study First Posted: 2023-12-05
• Status Verified: 2025-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-04-08
• Last Update Posted: 2025-04-10

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 30

Inclusion Criteria

• NeuroRehabilitation Needs

Exclusion Criteria

• obtain a score of above 22 or below 10 on the MMSE
• have documented current/active episodes of hallucinations and/or delusions
• have documented hearing impairments with or without hearing aid(s)
• have language barrier, i.e. do not speak or understand English, Mandarin or Malay

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Active Music Therapy (A)	Active Music Therapy (A)	The research participants were given a standardized assortment of percussion instruments to choose from. The therapist provided instructions of playing instruments along with the therapist. The research participant was allowed to change his or her instrument at any time and was advised to sing along with the therapist. Based on the research participant's age, the therapist selected the songs to sing and accompany on either the guitar or the keyboard. The duration of the intervention was approximately 15 minutes, which allowed about five to six songs to be sung. The research participants were allowed to request to repeat or skip any of the songs at any time.
Passive Music Therapy (P)	Passive Music Therapy (P)	The therapist read a standardized relaxation script in the research participant's selected preferred language while improvising on the keyboard. The script was inclusive of deep breathing and imagining a positive image. The research participants were asked to close his or her eyes while relaxing and imagining. The entire intervention lasted approximately 15 minutes. The research participants were allowed to request to stop the intervention at any time
Standard Care Control Condition (C)	Standard Care Control Condition (C)	The control condition involved mundane activities such as chatting, resting, or reading magazines, with the MT, in the treatment room.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Mini-Cog™ test	1 year	The Friedman test was conducted to determine whether Mini-Cog test scores differ from P, A, and C. A score of 0-2 suggests a higher likelihood of significant cognitive impairment, while a score of 3-5 indicates a lower likelihood of dementia but does not exclude mild impairment.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

SOSCO Rehabilitation Centre; 🇲🇾 Malaca, Malacca, Malaysia