Effects of Music Therapy on Patients with Dementia—A Systematic Review

Hei Long Lam,Wai Tak Victor Li,Roger Y Wong,Ismail Laher

doi:10.3390/geriatrics5040062

Abstract

Dementia is an increasingly common syndrome and while pharmacotherapy is available, its potential benefit is limited, especially in non-cognitive outcomes. Non-pharmacotherapy such as music therapy is potentially associated with improved outcomes. We assessed the effects of music therapy on patients with dementia to evaluate its potential benefits on dementia. Two independent reviewers searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases for clinical trials, using the keywords “music therapy” and “dementia”. Study outcomes included cognitive function, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), and quality of life. A total of 82 studies were included, of which 43 were interventional clinical trials, and 39 were systematic reviews or meta-analyses. Significant improvements in verbal fluency occurred after music therapy, with significant reductions in anxiety, depression, and apathy. There were no significant improvements in cognition or daily functioning, and the results on quality of life and agitation were ambiguous. Limitations of studies included low patient numbers, lack of standardized music therapy, and high heterogeneity in outcomes. More large-scale clinical trials would allow for clearer conclusions on the benefits of music therapy in patients with dementia.

Highlights

The aging population is increasing rapidly, and it is predicted that one out of six people will be aged 65 years and over in 2050 [1]
It should be noted that dementia is not a disease, but rather a syndrome that can present in different forms such as Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, mixed Alzheimer’s disease and cerebrovascular disease, and Lewy body dementia
Our systematic review of studies on the effects of music therapy of patients living with dementia suggests significant improvements in verbal and language fluency, alleviation of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) including anxiety and depression and reduced levels of apathy

Summary

Introduction

The aging population is increasing rapidly, and it is predicted that one out of six people will be aged 65 years and over in 2050 [1]. Dementia is a not part of normal aging, but it has gained increased awareness globally, as summarized in a recent systematic review on the prevalence and incidence of dementia [2]. Other risk factors for dementia include family history (genetics), cardiovascular risks (e.g., hypertension, dyslipidemia, cigarette smoking, stroke), and female gender [3]. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60% of dementia cases [4]. The standard pharmacological treatment for dementia is cholinesterase inhibitors, which can delay the deterioration of cognitive function

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion