Music for the Mind Study

Feasibility and Acceptability of Music Training Programs Among Older Adults Living With Mild Cognitive Impairment: a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to learn if older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) find two music programs equally acceptable. This pilot study will help researchers prepare for a future, large-scale clinical trial to learn if music training can slow cognitive decline and promote emotional well-being in those at risk for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. The main questions this pilot study aims to answer are:

• Do participants like the music programs?
• Do participants stay enrolled in the study?
• Do participants report perceived benefits of the programs for their emotional well-being or everyday memory?

Participants will:

• Participate in 12-weekly sessions of piano lessons or music lessons, with group and individual lessons alternating each week.
• Have home practice in between lessons, with a keyboard or other instruments provided.
• Keep a diary of their home practice and their mood before and after practice.
• Participate in interviews before and after the 12-week programs.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged ≥ 60 years
• English-speaking
• Community-dwelling
• Medical diagnosis of MCI by a physician or research diagnostic criteria for MCI, defined by having Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), with a cutoff of 20- 25 (further adjusted for racial/ethnic differences)
• Capable to consent as identified by the University of California, San Diego Brief Assessment of Capacity to Consent (UBACC)
• No severe psychiatric condition (e.g., bipolar disorder)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Demonstrate musicality knowledge, as assessed by the Musicality Assessment developed by the study team
• Currently participating in a formal music activity (performance, classes, lessons, etc.)
• Major impairment in eyesight or hearing that precludes music reading, hearing, or engagement in the class
• Any difficulty using a keyboard (portable electric piano) due to pain, neuropathy, tremor, or upper finger/hand/limb injury