EFFECTS OF MUSIC THERAPY IN ELDERLY CARE: COGNITION, BIOMARKERS, MOOD AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

Abstract

Music therapy (MT) can provide significant benefits for people with cognitive decline living in care homes, enhancing social-cognitive functions and reducing behavioral symptoms1. Nevertheless, RCT studies demonstrating the effectiveness of this intervention are scarce and often methodologically weak, with consequent significant limitations in the generalizability of their results2. To develop further studies aligned with a robust empirical approach, the present study aims to provide both clinical and scientific evidence, based on standardized tests, supported by biomarkers and implicit measures (psychophysiology, brain activity, hormones), and developing protocols that could be replicable. A pre/post 4 months RCT study was conducted. Participants: 54 elderly with mild to moderate cognitive impairment (MMSE range 18-23) living in 5 different care homes, and randomly assigned to either an experimental or active control group. Once a week the experimental group attended one-to-one, 40min MT, while the control group attended one-to-one, 40min Story-Telling activity (ST). Both activities were based on improvisational techniques and the mood-matching approach³, and were carried out by, respectively, professional music therapist (MT) and trained activity-coordinators (ST) who had received specific training on the protocols. Before and after the 4 month intervention the following assessments were conducted: [1] neuropsychological tests to measure general cognitive level, attention, verbal and spatial abilities; [2] a novel neuropsychological test was also used, to assess the cognitive functions directly stimulated by music tasks (Music Cognitive Test, Mangiacotti et al., under validation); [3] behavioral and wellbeing measurements to assess psychiatric behavioral symptoms, mood, locus of control, social abilities, motivation, life-satisfaction and quality of Life; [4] as a measure of autonomic regulation, Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) was collected; [5] Salivary Cortisol/DHEA ratio; [6] EEG cortical entrainment⁴. Results available by May2019. The results will elucidate the relationship between different types of measures in monitoring the effectiveness of treatment for cognitive decline in aging. We expect the result will confirm better outcomes in MT than ST treatment.