Abstract
Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive deterioration of cognitive functions, with memory being the most affected. Several studies have shown the benefits of music as a complementary treatment for dementia, improving patients’ quality of life. A scientific contribution is needed to show how autobiographic memory could be improved by using musical activities. Objective: The aim of this investigation is to analyze the impact of a musical stimulation protocol on the performance of autobiographical memory in elderly people suffering from Alzheimer’s. Participants and Method: This research was conducted with three patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease: two females (66.7%), and one male (33.3%). One (33.3%) was in the early stages, and two were in the middle stages. This investigation used a quantitative, pre-experimental, longitudinal study with the application of two tests before and after the intervention. Findings: Changes in the performance of autobiographical memory (t=-5.79, p=0.002), and in the semantic component (t=-10.14, p=0.01) were found to be statistically significant, but no changes were evident for episodic memory (t=-0.19, p=0.86). Conclusion: This study provides preliminary evidence of the potential effectiveness of using a music protocol to improve the performance of autobiographical memory in patients with Alzheimer's Disease. Doi: 10.28991/esj-2021-01304 Full Text: PDF
Highlights
Dementia is a neurodegenerative disease that, according to Alzheimer’s Disease International [1], affects approximately 9.9 million people worldwide each year
The analysis of Cronbach’s alpha was conducted to confirm the reliability of the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT); the value obtained in its pre-intervention measurement was α =0.80
Current findings indicate that a protocol of musical stimulation can be used as a therapeutic tool to enable the optimization of autobiographical memory in people with Alzheimer’s
Summary
Dementia is a neurodegenerative disease that, according to Alzheimer’s Disease International [1], affects approximately 9.9 million people worldwide each year. This implies that every three seconds, a person is diagnosed with any type of dementia. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most known type of dementia, accounting for 60–70% of total cases [2] It is characterized by the progressive and irreversible impairment of cognitive functions, and neuropsychological alterations such as aphasia, apraxia, agnosia, and significant memory impairment. It often comes with behavior and mood swings, and progresses toward total dependency [3]. In the course of the illness, memory and its subsystems, such as explicit, implicit, and working memory, suffer impairments or a significant diminishing in their functioning through the different stages of the disease [6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
