The effects of active music interventions on cognitive function and neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Active music interventions represent one promising nonpharmacological intervention; however, the effects of these interventions are not well understood. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of active music interventions on cognitive function and neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with dementia. Four independent database searches revealed 747 independent studies that were filtered by article type, topic, and relevancy, based on inclusion criteria. Nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were selected for inclusion and were assessed for quality using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Results of the meta-analyses revealed those receiving an active music intervention scored significantly higher than controls on the Mini-Mental State Exam and reported fewer neuropsychiatric symptoms as denoted by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, post-intervention. There is a need for additional RCTs with consistent standardized cognitive measures to compare dosage, duration, and intervention type (e.g., instrumental or vocal) across domains. Future research is necessary to distinguish the benefits of active music interventions on cognitive function and neuropsychiatric symptoms (e.g., agitation, depression) in patients with dementia.