title: Effect of music therapy on anxiety and depression in patients with Alzheimer's type dementia: randomised, controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Numerous studies have indicated the value of music therapy in the management of patients with Alzheimer's disease. A recent pilot study demonstrated the feasibility and usefulness of a new music therapy technique. The aim of this controlled, randomised study was to assess the effects of this new music therapy technique on anxiety and depression in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer-type dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a single-centre, comparative, controlled, randomised study, with blinded assessment of its results. The duration of follow-up was 24 weeks. The treated group (n = 15) participated in weekly sessions of individual, receptive music therapy. The musical style of the session was chosen by the patient. The validated 'U' technique was employed. The control group (n = 15) participated under the same conditions in reading sessions. The principal endpoint, measured at weeks 1, 4, 8, 16 and 24, was the level of anxiety (Hamilton Scale). Changes in the depression score (Geriatric Depression Scale) were also analyzed as a secondary endpoint.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant improvements in anxiety (p < 0.01) and depression (p < 0.01) were observed in the music therapy group as from week 4 and until week 16. The effect of music therapy was sustained for up to 8 weeks after the discontinuation of sessions between weeks 16 and 24 (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results confirm the valuable effect of music therapy on anxiety and depression in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. This new music therapy technique is simple to implement and can easily be integrated in a multidisciplinary programme for the management of Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Service de Neurologie, Centre Mémoire de Ressources et de Recherches (CMRR), Inserm U888, CHRU Montpellier, Montpellier, France. stephane.guetin@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guétin
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Portet
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Picot
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pommié
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Messaoudi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Djabelkir
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Cano
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lecourt
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Touchon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009147:Music Therapy; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018401:Sample Size
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs