title: Cognitive, emotional, and social benefits of regular musical activities in early dementia: randomized controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  During aging, musical activities can help maintain physical and mental health and cognitive abilities, but their rehabilitative use has not been systematically explored in persons with dementia (PWDs). Our aim was to determine the efficacy of a novel music intervention based on coaching the caregivers of PWDs to use either singing or music listening regularly as a part of everyday care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-nine PWD-caregiver dyads were randomized to a 10-week singing coaching group (n = 30), a 10-week music listening coaching group (n = 29), or a usual care control group (n = 30). The coaching sessions consisted primarily of singing/listening familiar songs coupled occasionally with vocal exercises and rhythmic movements (singing group) and reminiscence and discussions (music listening group). In addition, the intervention included regular musical exercises at home. All PWDs underwent an extensive neuropsychological assessment, which included cognitive tests, as well as mood and quality of life (QOL) scales, before and after the intervention period and 6 months later. In addition, the psychological well-being of family members was repeatedly assessed with questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with usual care, both singing and music listening improved mood, orientation, and remote episodic memory and to a lesser extent, also attention and executive function and general cognition. Singing also enhanced short-term and working memory and caregiver well-being, whereas music listening had a positive effect on QOL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Regular musical leisure activities can have long-term cognitive, emotional, and social benefits in mild/moderate dementia and could therefore be utilized in dementia care and rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland. Finnish Centre of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Music Research, University of Jyväskylä, Finland. teppo.sarkamo@helsinki.fi.
authors.forename: Teppo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Särkämö
authors.affiliation: Cognitive Brain Research Unit, Institute of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland. Finnish Centre of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Music Research, University of Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tervaniemi
authors.affiliation: Miina Sillanpää Foundation, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Sari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laitinen
authors.affiliation: Unit of Educational Psychology and Department of Teacher Education, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Ava
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Numminen
authors.affiliation: Miina Sillanpää Foundation, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Merja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurki
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health and Aging, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: Julene K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Käpylä Rehabilitation Centre, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Pekka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rantanen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D009147:Music Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Coaching; Cognition; Depression; Memory