Music Therapy to Promote Emotion and Cognition for Dementia

The Effect of Music Therapy on Emotion and Cognition for Individuals With Mild to Moderate Dementia

The purpose of this study is to determine if the effects of music therapy alter emotion and cognition performances of individuals with mild to moderate dementia. The music therapy intervention protocol is structured by drum improvisation, rhythm imitation, music cognition and song discussion. Attentive listening and active participation of the music training activities allow participants to utilize their focus of attention and comprehension of informational texts. Music therapy intervention is proposed to provide positive stimulations on emotion and cognitive functions of individuals with dementia. The results of the present study will clarify relationship between the effect of music therapy and the neural substrate of music therapy in anatomical and functional brain data obtained from MRI (fMRI).

Individuals with dementia often exhibit deterioration in cognitive functions and experience changes in emotions and personalities. Due to the changes in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, individuals with dementia often experience an impaired ability to judge situations. Empirical studies have indicated that cognitive stimulation is essential to facilitate individuals with dementia in thinking, concentration, and memory. Structured music activities provide cognitive stimulation to individuals with dementia through attentive listening and active participation. Additionally, drum improvisation not only reflects the current status of an individual, but also serves as an audio feedback through free play.

Inclusion Criteria:

• a mild dementia diagnosis with Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) score: 1 and The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score: 18-24

Exclusion Criteria:

• significant visual and hearing impairment that hinders music listening and score reading
• for fMRI safty: with shrapnel or other metal or electronic implants in their bodies