The Relationship Of Musical Abilities With Cognition And Neurodegenerative Pathology In Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment

Older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are at increased risk for dementia. Despite the presence of cognitive deficits in persons with MCI and dementia, older adults with dementia preserve their ability to engage in music throughout their disease. However, musical abilities have not previously been explored in individuals with MCI. The purpose of this dissertation was twofold: 1) to better understand the relationship between musical and cognitive abilities in persons with MCI (Chapter II) and how preserved musical abilities may contribute to enhanced cognitive abilities despite the underlying atrophy in the brain (Chapter III); and 2) to develop and submit a post-doctoral application to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of an individualized music intervention to reduce sleep disturbances in older adults with dementia (Chapter IV). We conducted a cross-sectional study at the University of Pennsylvania Alzheimer's Disease Core Center (ADCC). We combined existing data from the ADCC and asked 60 older adults with MCI to complete two questionnaires, one screening for depression and the other gauging their musical abilities. We broadly operationalized musical abilities as musical skills, expertise, achievements and related behaviors and used hippocampal volume as a biomarker for the underlying atrophy in the brain. The participants, on average, scored lower on the index of musical abilities compared to published norms. Using Pearson's correlations and linear regression analyses, we found that participants who scored lower on the index of musical abilities had lower scores on the measure of verbal naming. Additionally, musical abilities moderated the relationship between hippocampal volume and one of the cognitive abilities--executive function in 38 older adults for whom magnetic resonance imaging was available. Enhanced musical abilities emerged as a possible compensatory mechanism for persons with MCI who are struggling with cognitive deficits. Given the relationship between musical and cognitive abilities, music may be an effective intervention to maintain cognition and improve the well-being of older adults with cognitive impairment. This body of work, my passion for music, and a desire to garner skills in intervention research served as a platform for writing and submitting a post-doctoral application exploring how a music intervention may help alleviate one of the most distressing behavioral symptoms of dementia--sleep disturbances.

Music and the Aging Brain describes brain functioning in aging and addresses the power of music to protect the brain from loss of function and how to cope with the ravages of brain diseases that accompany aging. By studying the power of music in aging through the lens of neuroscience, behavioral, and clinical science, the book explains brain organization and function. Written for those researching the brain and aging, the book provides solid examples of research fundamentals, including rigorous standards for sample selection, control groups, description of intervention activities, measures of health outcomes, statistical methods, and logically stated conclusions. Summarizes brain structures supporting music perception and cognition Examines and explains music as neuroprotective in normal aging Addresses the association of hearing loss to dementia Promotes a neurological approach for research in music as therapy Proposes questions for future research in music and aging

Dementia is the most significant health issue facing our aging population. With no cure to date, there is an urgent need for the development of interventions that can alleviate symptoms of dementia and ensure optimal well-being for people with dementia and their caregivers. There is accumulating evidence that music is a highly effective, non-pharmacological treatment for various symptoms of dementia at all stages of disease progression. In its various forms, music (as a medium for formal therapy or an informal activity) engages widespread brain regions, and in doing so, can promote numerous benefits, including triggering memories, enhancing relationships, affirming a sense of self, facilitating communication, reducing agitation, and alleviating depression and anxiety. This book outlines the current research and understanding of the use of music for people with dementia, from internationally renowned experts in music therapy, music psychology, and clinical neuropsychology.

Dementia is the most significant health issue facing our aging population. With no cure to date, there is an urgent need for the development of interventions that can alleviate symptoms of dementia and ensure optimal well-being for people with dementia and their caregivers. There is accumulating evidence that music is a highly effective, non-pharmacological treatment for various symptoms of dementia at all stages of disease progression. In its various forms, music (as a medium for formal therapy or an informal activity) engages widespread brain regions, and in doing so, can promote numerous benefits, including triggering memories, enhancing relationships, affirming a sense of self, facilitating communication, reducing agitation, and alleviating depression and anxiety. This book outlines the current research and understanding of the use of music for people with dementia, from internationally renowned experts in music therapy, music psychology, and clinical neuropsychology.

For most Americans, staying "mentally sharp" as they age is a very high priority. Declines in memory and decision-making abilities may trigger fears of Alzheimer's disease or other neurodegenerative diseases. However, cognitive aging is a natural process that can have both positive and negative effects on cognitive function in older adults - effects that vary widely among individuals. At this point in time, when the older population is rapidly growing in the United States and across the globe, it is important to examine what is known about cognitive aging and to identify and promote actions that individuals, organizations, communities, and society can take to help older adults maintain and improve their cognitive health. Cognitive Aging assesses the public health dimensions of cognitive aging with an emphasis on definitions and terminology, epidemiology and surveillance, prevention and intervention, education of health professionals, and public awareness and education. This report makes specific recommendations for individuals to reduce the risks of cognitive decline with aging. Aging is inevitable, but there are actions that can be taken by individuals, families, communities, and society that may help to prevent or ameliorate the impact of aging on the brain, understand more about its impact, and help older adults live more fully and independent lives. Cognitive aging is not just an individual or a family or a health care system challenge. It is an issue that affects the fabric of society and requires actions by many and varied stakeholders. Cognitive Aging offers clear steps that individuals, families, communities, health care providers and systems, financial organizations, community groups, public health agencies, and others can take to promote cognitive health and to help older adults live fuller and more independent lives. Ultimately, this report calls for a societal commitment to cognitive aging as a public health issue that requires prompt action across many sectors.

In this comprehensively updated second edition, written by Alicia Ann Clair and Jenny Memmott the extraordinary benefits of music therapy for older adults are detailed. Therapeutic Uses of Music with Older Adults not only examines these benefits but also clarifies the reasons that music is beneficial. This important book shows both informal and formal caregivers how to use music to enhance the quality of life of older adults - including people with physical impairments and people with dementia. Written by two of the nation's leading music therapists, Therapeutic Uses of Music with Older Adults offers strategies for using music to: provide diversion for inactivity, discomfort, and daily routine; decrease symptoms of depression, anxiety insomnia, and agitation; handle problem behaviors; provide physical and emotional stimulation; help in the rehabilitation of people with cardiac disease, Parkinson's disease, and impairments related to stroke; help in the management of pain; facilitate social integration; communication; and the expression of feelings, including anger and grief; and relieve the stress and tension associated with caring for older adults.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a music-movement intervention (MMI) on cognitive flexibility and arousal in older adults with typical cognitive aging (TCA) or with symptoms of mild neurocognitive disorder (MND). This study also examined the relationships among participants' demographics, including age, exercise frequency, and years of music participation, and the dependent variables of cognitive flexibility, perceived arousal, physiological arousal, and perceived exertion. Previous research and current theory suggests that multimodal interventions combining simultaneous physical activity and cognitive training may be an effective avenue for enhancing older adults' cognition. Moreover, theory suggests that participation in such interventions can have an immediate effect on cognition via an arousal mechanism. As far as can be determined, no research exists exploring the cognitive outcomes associated with music-facilitated multimodal interventions, such as those that might be implemented by a board-certified music therapist. Forty-eight older adults with and without MND completed a series of assessments and then took part in either the MMI or an identical intervention without music (i.e., the Movement-Only Intervention [MOI]). The MMI is a researcher-developed, single session, combined cognitive-movement intervention consisting of playing musical instruments that simulate functional, everyday movements in time with familiar, recorded music. Assessments included a demographics questionnaire; heart rate measured at pre-test, mid- test, and post-test; perceived arousal measured at pre-test and post-test; perceived exertion measured at pre-test, mid-test, and post-test; and cognitive flexibility measured at pre-test and post-test. Results indicated that regardless of cognitive status, participants assigned to the MMI significantly improved their cognitive flexibility from pre-test to post-test, as indicated by a decrease in the time necessary to complete the cognitive flexibility measure. By contrast, changes in cognitive flexibility over time for MOI participants were not significant. This result suggests that the addition of music listening and simple music instrument playing tasks to the movement intervention was more effective in improving cognition than the multimodal intervention without the music components. Moreover, these results suggest that older adults both with and without MND can immediately benefit from participation in the MMI. Results also indicated that changes in perceived arousal, physiological arousal, and perceived exertion were not significantly different over time according to cognitive status and/or intervention assignment. This finding suggests that the MMI and MOI were comparable in terms of arousal potential. Moreover, changes in perceived arousal, physiological arousal, and perceived exertion did not significantly correlate with changes in cognitive flexibility. These results imply that the significant changes in cognitive flexibility observed in MMI participants were not due to alterations in arousal. Researcher observations and participants' feedback suggest that the interventions differed in terms of their ability to affect changes in state mood. Specifically, MMI participants seemed to enjoy the combination of familiar music and novel instrument playing tasks, which led to improved mood and greater attention to task completion. By contrast, MOI participants shared that they felt bored, unmotivated by, and disengaged from the movement intervention. Thus, MMI participants' improved mood and enhanced attention appeared to temporarily enhance their cognitive flexibility. Overall, while both the MMI and MOI included completing an identical series of functional movements and engaged the same cognitive skills, the MMI appeared to do so to a greater extent. This study's findings may be useful in conceptualizing how music perception and performance can be integrated into multimodal training to improve older adults' cognition. If older adults are offered the opportunity to participate in interventions such as the MMI and enjoy doing so, they may be more likely to regularly take part in the training and potentially experience lasting benefits. For this reason, music therapists and related professionals may utilize information from this study to design, implement, and research the effects of similar functional training protocols.

Assessments, Treatments and Modeling in Aging and Neurological Disease: The Neuroscience of Aging is a comprehensive reference on the diagnosis and management of neurological aging and associated disorders. The book discusses the mechanisms underlying neurological aging and provides readers with a detailed introduction to the aging of neural connections and complexities in biological circuitries, as well as the interactions between genetics, epigenetics and other micro-environmental processes. It also examines pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions of age-related conditions that affect the brain, including Alzheimer’s, stroke and multiple sclerosis. Provides the most comprehensive coverage of the broad range of topics related to the neuroscience of aging Features sections on diagnosis and biomarkers of neurological aging, Alzheimer’s and stroke Contains an abstract, key facts, a mini dictionary of terms, and summary points in each chapter Focuses on neurological diseases and conditions linked to aging, environmental factors and clinical recommendations Includes more than 500 illustrations and tables

A unique integration of assessment components based on the American Music Therapy Association standards of practice, MAGNET complies with the criteria of the minimal data system (MDS) and the requirements for accreditation of facilities that provide services. MAGNET also complies with the Scope of Practice of the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) It is a significant contribution to music therapy program development to assure life quality for older adults. Now this assessment tool is available in an interactive eBook format, allowing users to fill out and save assessment forms online. This integration of the assessment tool and technology allows Music Therapists to administer and organise assessments with ease.