Abstract
Abstract Music has been debated as a positive factor for the health of elderly people. In a randomized study, the researchers compared an intervention based on percussion and musical improvisation with a choir activity. The objective was to investigate whether improvisation would influence the executive functioning and motor skills of healthy elderly people. A set of instruments for psychological and motor assessment was used before and after the procedure. Differences were found in the performance of the participants of the improvisation group in the Clock Drawing Test suggesting possible gains in executive function. There were gains, regardless of the group, in part A of the Trail Making Test, which indicates a sustained attention. No evidence of motor effects was found in this study. The results suggest that musical activities can contribute to the prevention of cognitive decline caused by aging.
Highlights
Article based on the dissertation of M.R
The results suggest that musical activities can contribute to the prevention of cognitive decline caused by aging
Valis, and Kuca (2017) highlight several non-pharmacological interventions, such as physical exercises and piano lessons, that have proven beneficial in cognitive domains such as executive functioning, attention, and memory
Summary
Article based on the dissertation of M.R. SANTOS, entitled “Efeitos da improvisação musical como intervenção cognitiva e motora para idosos”. I Campinas I 38 I e190132 investigate whether improvisation would influence the executive functioning and motor skills of healthy elderly people. Differences were found in the performance of the participants of the improvisation group in the Clock Drawing Test suggesting possible gains in executive function. The results suggest that musical activities can contribute to the prevention of cognitive decline caused by aging. Palavras-chave: Cognição; Saúde do idoso; Atividade motora; Música. The world population is growing older: by 2060, in Brazil, it is estimated that there will be 66 elderly for every 100 active people and only 21.6 children for the same group (Oliveira, 2016). Practicing musical instruments stimulate the auditory cortex, but areas of the brain involving attention, memory, motor function, and emotional processing (Särkämö, 2018)
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