Music Therapy to Promote Emotion and Cognition for Dementia

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Dementia
• Interventions: Behavioral: Music Therapy Group Session

• Registration Number: NCT01958983
• Lead Sponsor: Chang Gung Memorial Hospital

Brief Summary

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).

Detailed 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.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2013-06
• Status Verified: 2013-09
• Study First Submitted: 2013-10-06
• Study First Submitted QC: 2013-10-06
• Last Update Submitted: 2013-10-06
• Study First Posted: 2013-10-09
• Last Update Posted: 2013-10-09
• Primary Completion: 2014-09
• Study Completion: 2014-09

Recruitment & Eligibility

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

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

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Music Therapy Group Session	Music Therapy Group Session	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.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Brain Changes from Baseline on Functional and Structural Connectivity at 2 Months by Multi-Model MRI Analyses	Baseline and after 8-week music therapy intervention	All participants will received two MRI scans at 0 and 2 months. Images will be acquired on a 3.0T Siemens MRI scanner with 12-channels head coil. All the images are acquired parallel to the anterior commissure-posterior commissure line. To minimize motion artifact generated during the image acquisition, each participant's head will be immobilized with cushions inside the coil. Three kinds of MRI techniques will be performed in this study, including T1-weighted high-resolution anatomical image, resting-state function MRI, and half-sphere diffusion spectrum imaging. Therefore, T1VBM(voxel-based morphology), TBSS(tract-based spatial statistics), functional brain network analysis, and structural brain network analysis will be employed for evaluating the changes of brain functional and structural connectivity in individuals with dementia in experimental and control groups.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change from Baseline on Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) at 2 Months	Baseline and at 2 Months
Change from Baseline on Inventory of Quality of Life (SF-36) at 2 Months	Baseline and at 2 Months
Change from Baseline on Quality of Drum Improvisation at 2 Months	Baseline and at 2 Months
Change from Baseline on Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) at 2 Months	Baseline and at 2 Months
Change from Baseline on Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) at 2 Months	Baseline and at 2 Months

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Chang Gung Medical Foundation; 🇨🇳 Taoyuan, Taiwan