Page 22 - Petelin, Ana. 2021. Ed. Zdravje starostnikov / Health of the Elderly. Proceedings. Koper: University of Primorska Press.
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avje starostnikov | health of the elderly 20 memory, orientation, and registration), agitation, daily functioning, and the
quality of life living with dementia. A systematic review with meta-analyses
from authors Fusar-Poli et al., 2018, aimed at providing an overview of the pos-
sible effects of music therapy on cognitive functions in patients with demen-
tia. Results confirm the conclusions of previous reviews which did not find any
significant improvement in global cognition (Chang et al., 2015; Lie et al 2015;
Ueda et al., 2013). They did also not find any positive effect of music therapy on
domains like cognitive functions, such as attention, language, memory, and
perceptual-motor skills.
A study by Li et al., 2019, showed that the intervention length and num-
ber of sessions per week of music therapy is very important to reduced depres-
sion of people with dementia. The meta-analysis revealed that music therapy
was significantly associated with decreasing the degree of depression for me-
dium-term intervention (six to 12 weeks). No significant differences in depres-
sive levels were found between music therapy and control groups in short-term
interventions (three or four weeks). The effects of medium-term music therapy
may contribute to improved depression in people with dementia while short-
term intervention may not. Another similar meta-analysis study suggested that
short-term music therapy might not be able to improve cognitive function for
people with dementia (Li HC et al., 2015).
The definition of music therapy specifies that sessions must be guided
by a qualified music therapist. A majority of analyzed studies showed that the
involvement of music therapists significantly reduced neuropsychiatric symp-
toms (Li et al., 2019; Gomez-Romero et al., 2017; Ueda et al., 2013; Fusar-Poli et
al., 2018; Alexio et al., 2017; Sherriff et al., 2017).
Our systematic review includes a relatively large number of subjects and
studies. Therefore, we can summarize that music therapy has a significant im-
pact on decreasing neuropsychiatric symptoms of people with dementia. Some
studies found out that there were no significant improvements in cognition or
daily functioning and the results on quality of life were ambiguous.
Conclusions
Music therapy is beneficial and improves neuropsychiatric symptoms of people
with dementia. Therefore, it could be a powerful treatment strategy in the fu-
ture. However further randomized studies are still needed.
References
AARSLAND, D., 2020. Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Dementia-Relat-
ed Psychosis. J Clin Psychiatry. vol. 81, no. 5, pp. 1–10.
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE INTERNATIONAL, n. d. Dementia statistics [on-
line]. [viewed 10 June 2021]. Available from: https://www.alzint.org/
about/dementia-facts-figures/dementia-statistics/
quality of life living with dementia. A systematic review with meta-analyses
from authors Fusar-Poli et al., 2018, aimed at providing an overview of the pos-
sible effects of music therapy on cognitive functions in patients with demen-
tia. Results confirm the conclusions of previous reviews which did not find any
significant improvement in global cognition (Chang et al., 2015; Lie et al 2015;
Ueda et al., 2013). They did also not find any positive effect of music therapy on
domains like cognitive functions, such as attention, language, memory, and
perceptual-motor skills.
A study by Li et al., 2019, showed that the intervention length and num-
ber of sessions per week of music therapy is very important to reduced depres-
sion of people with dementia. The meta-analysis revealed that music therapy
was significantly associated with decreasing the degree of depression for me-
dium-term intervention (six to 12 weeks). No significant differences in depres-
sive levels were found between music therapy and control groups in short-term
interventions (three or four weeks). The effects of medium-term music therapy
may contribute to improved depression in people with dementia while short-
term intervention may not. Another similar meta-analysis study suggested that
short-term music therapy might not be able to improve cognitive function for
people with dementia (Li HC et al., 2015).
The definition of music therapy specifies that sessions must be guided
by a qualified music therapist. A majority of analyzed studies showed that the
involvement of music therapists significantly reduced neuropsychiatric symp-
toms (Li et al., 2019; Gomez-Romero et al., 2017; Ueda et al., 2013; Fusar-Poli et
al., 2018; Alexio et al., 2017; Sherriff et al., 2017).
Our systematic review includes a relatively large number of subjects and
studies. Therefore, we can summarize that music therapy has a significant im-
pact on decreasing neuropsychiatric symptoms of people with dementia. Some
studies found out that there were no significant improvements in cognition or
daily functioning and the results on quality of life were ambiguous.
Conclusions
Music therapy is beneficial and improves neuropsychiatric symptoms of people
with dementia. Therefore, it could be a powerful treatment strategy in the fu-
ture. However further randomized studies are still needed.
References
AARSLAND, D., 2020. Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Dementia-Relat-
ed Psychosis. J Clin Psychiatry. vol. 81, no. 5, pp. 1–10.
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE INTERNATIONAL, n. d. Dementia statistics [on-
line]. [viewed 10 June 2021]. Available from: https://www.alzint.org/
about/dementia-facts-figures/dementia-statistics/
