Evaluating the Effects of Music Interventions on Hospitalised People With Dementia

NCT00448318 | Unknown Phase 2

• 1 other identifier: WKG_07_BB
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 180
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Dementing syndromes are, for the most part, incurable. People with dementia become highly dependent and frequently have to move from their homes into residential aged care facilities. Medications aimed at reducing the severity of a number of symptoms associated with the different types of dementia have had only modest success. Increasingly, people with dementia, their families and carers are turning to supplementary or alternative approaches to the management of their symptoms. There are many published reports describing the successful use of music therapy in reducing the severity of many symptoms of dementia. These include reports of improved memory, improved language skills, reduced anxiety and depression, reductions in agitation and disruptive behaviours and better social relationships with family, peers and carers. However, the quality of evidence they provide for the most part fails meet the standards of evidence required by health care providers. This clinical trial will examine the effects of a music therapy intervention. The study will recruit 180 patients in sub-acute hospital wards. Participants will be randomly placed in groups that receive either occupational therapy or music therapy. Before the therapy programs begin, we will use questionnaires to measure memory function, language ability, orientation and mood. We will also record brain activity from the surface of the scalp, blood pressure and pulse to examine physiological responses. The same measures will be repeated after the 3 weeks of therapy to determine whether there has been any improvement in the symptoms of the participants and whether the group that had music therapy showed greater improvement than the group that had occupational therapy. We will make a video recording during one therapy session to allow us to observe levels of engagement and to assess changes in facial expressions. This will provide information about the immediate effects of music on mood and social interaction. The information we collect about brain activity and blood pressure will help us to understand how music therapy might bring about changes in the symptoms of dementia. This understanding will be useful in developing better applications of music therapy. It will also add to our current knowledge about how the various diseases cause the problems they do. In summary, the primary aim of the project is to determine whether the reported effects of music therapy are supported by objective evidence.

Conditions

Dementia; Alzheimer's Disease; Dementia, Vascular; Lewy Body Disease

Keywords

Controlled clinical trial

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Mini Mental State Examination: baseline cf. post intervention scores.

• Hierarchic Dementia Scale: baseline cf. post intervention scores.

• Geriatric Depression Scale: baseline cf. post intervention scores.

• Note: post intervention measures taken within 24 hours of final therapeutic intervention session

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• EEG fast/slow ratio: baseline cf. post intervention scores.

• EEG Coherence: baseline cf. post intervention scores.

• EEG evoked potentials:baseline cf. post intervention scores.

• Note: post intervention measures taken within 24 hours of final therapeutic intervention session

Interventions

Music Therapy PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 60 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Clinical diagnosis of dementia

You may not qualify if:

• delirium
• acute medical conditions (eg pneumonia, cardiac failure)
• primary psychiatric conditions (eg schizophrenia)
• severe hearing impairment

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Ageing Research Institute, Australia: lead

Study Sites (1)

National Ageing Research Institute

Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia

Location

Related Publications (1)

• van der Steen JT, van der Wouden JC, Methley AM, Smaling HJA, Vink AC, Bruinsma MS. Music-based therapeutic interventions for people with dementia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2025 Mar 7;3(3):CD003477. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003477.pub5.

  PMID: 40049590 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Dementia; Alzheimer Disease; Dementia, Vascular; Lewy Body Disease

Interventions

Music Therapy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Neurocognitive Disorders; Mental Disorders; Tauopathies; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Cerebrovascular Disorders; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis; Intracranial Arterial Diseases; Leukoencephalopathies; Arteriosclerosis; Arterial Occlusive Diseases; Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Parkinsonian Disorders; Basal Ganglia Diseases; Movement Disorders; Synucleinopathies

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Sensory Art Therapies; Complementary Therapies; Therapeutics; Rehabilitation; Aftercare; Continuity of Patient Care; Patient Care; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities

Study Officials

• Jonathan B Barber, PhD

  National Ageing Research Institute

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Jonathan B Barber, PhD

CONTACT

+61 3 8387 2638; b.barber@nari.unimelb.edu.au

John W Barlow, PhD

CONTACT

+61 3 83872296; j.barlow@nari.unimelb.edu.au

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 2
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 14, 2007
• First Posted: March 16, 2007
• Study Start: March 1, 2007
• Study Completion: October 1, 2008
• Last Updated: March 16, 2007

Record last verified: 2007-02

Locations

AU (1)