Music moves: Ettlingen dementia study - a pragmatic randomised controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychiatry
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Pharmacological treatments for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) have limited effectiveness.
• There is a growing need for non-pharmacological psychosocial interventions for BPSD.
• Music therapy is a promising intervention for managing BPSD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of individual active music therapy (aMT) and receptive music therapy (rMT) in managing BPSD.
• To assess the impact of music therapy on depression, quality of life, medical system usage, activities of daily living, and music therapy engagement.
• To compare aMT and rMT with standard care in nursing home residents.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 57 nursing home residents.
• Participants were assigned to aMT plus standard care, rMT plus standard care, or a control group (CG) receiving standard care only.
• 12 music therapy sessions were provided over 6 weeks, with outcomes measured at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks.

Main Results:

• Both aMT and rMT demonstrated small beneficial effects on BPSD at follow-up.
• Total musical engagement showed small beneficial effects in both aMT and rMT groups.
• rMT showed a small negative effect on verbal communication, while the CG showed a small beneficial effect on medical usage.

Conclusions:

• Active music therapy and receptive music therapy show potential for managing BPSD and enhancing engagement.
• Receptive music therapy may be particularly suitable for individuals in advanced stages of dementia.
• Future research should investigate the tailored effectiveness of music therapy interventions based on dementia severity.