The Impact of Piano Training on Cognitive Performance and Psychosocial Well-Being in Older Adults

NCT02564601 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: 19415
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 93
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This project evaluates the effects of piano training and computerized cognitive training on cognitive performance in healthy older adults compared to controls. The project is intended for healthy older adults (60-80 years) with little to no previous musical training (less than three years of prior musical training or cognitive training and not currently engaged in music reading or musical performance, less than 10 hours of previous cognitive training). Investigators anticipate that musical engagement will serve as an enjoyable cognitive intervention for older adults. Investigators believe that piano training will enhance cognitive performance on executive functions essential for maintaining independence in older adulthood. Learning a musical instrument, while challenging, will improve self-efficacy, mood, and qualtiy of life. Participants engaged in piano training will demonstrate reduced cortisol levels and increased immune function responses. Investigators predict that adults enrolled in computerized cognitive training will demonstrate enhanced memory, working memory and self-efficacy post-training.

Conditions

Aging

Keywords

intervention; cognition; aging; piano training; computer brain training

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (14)

• N-Back

  Working Memory Measure in the Visual Domain

  (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

• Cued Color Word Stroop

  Cognitive Control, Inhibition

  (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

• Digit Coding- WAIS IV subtest

  Simple Processing Speed

  (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

• Symbol Search- WAIS IV subtest

  Visual Scanning

  (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

• Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT)

  Complex processing speed

  (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

• Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test

  Verbal Memory

  (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

• Delis Kaplan Executive Function Verbal Fluency subtest

  Category Fluency, Letter Fluency, Category Switching

  (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

• Trail Making Test

  Planning and Processing Speed

  (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

• Finger Tapper Test

  Motor Speed

  (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

• Salivary Cortisol

  Stress Levels

  (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

• SIgA levels

  Immune Function

  (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

• Musical Performance Self-Efficacy

  Musical Self-Efficacy

  (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

• General Self-Efficacy

  General Self-Efficacy

  (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

• Cognitive Self-Report Questionnaire (25)

  Mood

  (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

Study Arms (3)

A1 Piano Training

EXPERIMENTAL

16 weekly classes will be provided to the piano training group. Each piano class session will focus upon review of materials (15-20 min), and the remaining portion of the class will focus upon learning new skills and concepts. This course includes finger dexterity exercises, basic piano technique, and basic piano repertoire.

Behavioral: Piano Training

A2 Computer Cognitive Training

EXPERIMENTAL

16 weekly classes will be provided to the computerized cognitive training group. Computerized cognitive training involves process-based computerized practice of adaptive perceptual exercises. Each computer cognitive training class session will focus upon practice of cognitive exercises that vary in difficulty ranging from basic auditory processing speed to application through memory and working memory exercises. Within each exercise, the stimuli (i.e., tones, speech sounds, words, sentences) become less discriminable and speed of presentation increases (making the exercises more difficult) as performance improves.

Behavioral: Computer Cognitive Training

A 3 No Treatment Controls

NO INTERVENTION

No classes will be provided to our control group. This is a no-treatment control group.

Interventions

Piano Training BEHAVIORAL

The intervention focuses upon progressively difficult piano performance exercises (repertoire), technique, and finger dexterity exercises.

A1 Piano Training

Computer Cognitive Training BEHAVIORAL

The intervention focuses upon progressively difficult perceptual exercises using the Brain Fitness program plus working memory exercises.

A2 Computer Cognitive Training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 60 Years - 80 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Between the ages of 60-80
• native English speakers
• no pre-existing cognitive impairment or neurological impairment
• not taking medications affecting memory performance (sleep meds, antidepressants, etc.)
• Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (score \>30)
• no moderate to severe depression
• no difficulty with hand movements
• less than three years of formal music training
• no difficulty with the movement of their hands
• not currently engaged in music reading or musical performance
• \< 10 hours of previous cognitive training

You may not qualify if:

• Those not between 60-80
• those taking medications affecting memory performance
• Non-Native English Speakers
• Those with pre-existing cognitive impairment
• Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (score \< 30)
• Those with difficulty in the movement of their hands
• Those with more than three years of formal music training or currently engaged in music reading or music performance
• Those with more than ten hours of cognitive training

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of South Florida: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of South Florida

Tampa, Florida, 33620, United States

Location

Related Publications (4)

• Smith GE, Housen P, Yaffe K, Ruff R, Kennison RF, Mahncke HW, Zelinski EM. A cognitive training program based on principles of brain plasticity: results from the Improvement in Memory with Plasticity-based Adaptive Cognitive Training (IMPACT) study. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2009 Apr;57(4):594-603. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2008.02167.x. Epub 2009 Feb 9.

  PMID: 19220558 RESULT

• Duff K, Tometich D, Dennett K. The Modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status is More Predictive of Memory Abilities Than the Mini-Mental State Examination. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol. 2015 Sep;28(3):193-7. doi: 10.1177/0891988715573532. Epub 2015 Feb 26.

  PMID: 25722349 RESULT

• Bugos JA, Perlstein WM, McCrae CS, Brophy TS, Bedenbaugh PH. Individualized piano instruction enhances executive functioning and working memory in older adults. Aging Ment Health. 2007 Jul;11(4):464-71. doi: 10.1080/13607860601086504.

  PMID: 17612811 RESULT

• Bugos JA, Wang Y. Piano Training Enhances Executive Functions and Psychosocial Outcomes in Aging: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2022 Sep 1;77(9):1625-1636. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbac021.

  PMID: 35134913 DERIVED

Study Officials

• Jennifer Bugos, PhD

  Assistant Professor

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 16, 2015
• First Posted: October 1, 2015
• Study Start: June 1, 2015
• Primary Completion: June 1, 2017
• Study Completion: June 1, 2017
• Last Updated: May 1, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)