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Keep music live: music and the alleviation of apathy in dementia subjects

Keep music live: music and the alleviation of apathy in dementia subjects
Keep music live: music and the alleviation of apathy in dementia subjects
Background: A recent Cochrane report concluded that more and better quality research is required to investigate the effectiveness of music therapy in reducing problems in behavioral, social, emotional and cognitive domains in patients with dementia. This randomized placebo-controlled trial with blinded observer rater aimed to explore whether music, live or pre-recorded, is effective in the treatment of apathy in subjects with moderate to severe dementia. Methods: Thirty-two subjects meeting ICD-10 diagnostic criteria for moderate to severe dementia and fulfilling diagnostic criteria for apathy were exposed to live interactive music, passive pre-recorded music or silence for 30 minutes. Each subject was randomized to 30-minute music or silent periods and was video recorded and the muted recording analyzed every 3 minutes using dementia care mapping to assess the quality of engagement to the blinded music intervention. Results: Compared to low baseline levels of positive engagement (12.5%) in the silent placebo period, the majority of subjects (69%), regardless of dementia severity, showed a significant and positive engagement to live music. Engagement to pre-recorded music was non-significant, with just 25% of all subjects showing positive engagement. No subjects showed any evidence of experiencing a state of ill-being during either the live or pre-recorded music sessions. Conclusions: During the intervention, live interactive music has immediate and positive engagement effects in dementia subjects with apathy, regardless of the severity of their dementia. Pre-recorded music is non-harmful but less clearly beneficial
treatment, music therapy, apathy, dementia, placebo-controlled trial, severity, care, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, placebo, therapy, memory, trial
1041-6102
623-630
Holmes, C.
ada5abf3-8459-4cf7-be40-3f4e9391cc96
Knights, A.
0760d259-c42d-4ac8-9a6d-7062be8cd9d4
Dean, C.
e8916a16-074c-4b09-a261-7c397e37a11d
Hodkinson, S.
dbb67a72-07ff-4547-b47d-ccdabcaee6c8
Hopkins, V.
7e0da968-644a-4770-97a0-5c6cd79354ac
Holmes, C.
ada5abf3-8459-4cf7-be40-3f4e9391cc96
Knights, A.
0760d259-c42d-4ac8-9a6d-7062be8cd9d4
Dean, C.
e8916a16-074c-4b09-a261-7c397e37a11d
Hodkinson, S.
dbb67a72-07ff-4547-b47d-ccdabcaee6c8
Hopkins, V.
7e0da968-644a-4770-97a0-5c6cd79354ac

Holmes, C., Knights, A., Dean, C., Hodkinson, S. and Hopkins, V. (2006) Keep music live: music and the alleviation of apathy in dementia subjects. International Psychogeriatrics, 18 (4), 623-630. (doi:10.1017/S1041610206003887).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background: A recent Cochrane report concluded that more and better quality research is required to investigate the effectiveness of music therapy in reducing problems in behavioral, social, emotional and cognitive domains in patients with dementia. This randomized placebo-controlled trial with blinded observer rater aimed to explore whether music, live or pre-recorded, is effective in the treatment of apathy in subjects with moderate to severe dementia. Methods: Thirty-two subjects meeting ICD-10 diagnostic criteria for moderate to severe dementia and fulfilling diagnostic criteria for apathy were exposed to live interactive music, passive pre-recorded music or silence for 30 minutes. Each subject was randomized to 30-minute music or silent periods and was video recorded and the muted recording analyzed every 3 minutes using dementia care mapping to assess the quality of engagement to the blinded music intervention. Results: Compared to low baseline levels of positive engagement (12.5%) in the silent placebo period, the majority of subjects (69%), regardless of dementia severity, showed a significant and positive engagement to live music. Engagement to pre-recorded music was non-significant, with just 25% of all subjects showing positive engagement. No subjects showed any evidence of experiencing a state of ill-being during either the live or pre-recorded music sessions. Conclusions: During the intervention, live interactive music has immediate and positive engagement effects in dementia subjects with apathy, regardless of the severity of their dementia. Pre-recorded music is non-harmful but less clearly beneficial

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More information

Published date: 2006
Keywords: treatment, music therapy, apathy, dementia, placebo-controlled trial, severity, care, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, placebo, therapy, memory, trial

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 62405
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/62405
ISSN: 1041-6102
PURE UUID: be123e29-96eb-4c8b-b41c-9d21d6374bb1
ORCID for C. Holmes: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1999-6912

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Date deposited: 11 Sep 2008
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:07

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Contributors

Author: C. Holmes ORCID iD
Author: A. Knights
Author: C. Dean
Author: S. Hodkinson
Author: V. Hopkins

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