title: Effect of music-based multitask training on cognition and mood in older adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  in a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial, we investigated whether 6 months of music-based multitask training had beneficial effects on cognitive functioning and mood in older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  134 community-dwellers aged ≥65 years at increased risk for falling were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n = 66) who attended once weekly 1-h supervised group classes of multitask exercises, executed to the rhythm of piano music, or a control group with delayed intervention (n = 68) who maintained usual lifestyle habits, for 6 months. A short neuropsychological test battery was administered by an intervention-blinded neuropsychologist at baseline and Month 6, including the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), the clock-drawing test, the frontal assessment battery (FAB) and the hospital anxiety (HADS-A) and depression scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  intention-to-treat analysis showed an improvement in the sensitivity to interference subtest of the FAB (adjusted between-group mean difference (AMD), 0.12; 95% CI, 0.00 to 0.25; P = 0.047) and a reduction in anxiety level (HADS-A; AMD, -0.88; 95% CI, -1.73 to -0.05; P = 0.039) in intervention participants, as compared with the controls. Within-group analysis revealed an increase in MMSE score (P = 0.004) and a reduction in the number of participants with impaired global cognitive performance (i.e., MMSE score ≤23; P = 0.003) with intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  six months of once weekly music-based multitask training was associated with improved cognitive function and decreased anxiety in community-dwelling older adults, compared with non-exercising controls. Studies designed to further delineate whether training-induced changes in cognitive function could contribute to dual-task gait improvements and falls reduction, remain to be conducted.
authors.affiliation: Division of Bone Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine Specialties, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Mélany
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hars
authors.forename: Francois R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gold
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rizzoli
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trombetti
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003071:Cognition; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D057194:Intention to Treat Analysis; D008297:Male; D009147:Music Therapy; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013557:Switzerland; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: cognition; exercise; mood; music; older people