The Effect of Music-Based Intervention on General Cognitive and Executive Functions, and Episodic Memory in People with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Recent Randomized Controlled Trials.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
PubMed 36011119 · doi:10.3390/healthcare10081462
What was done
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials searching multiple databases to assess the efficacy of various music-based interventions on general cognition and cognitive subdomains in older adults (mean age 60 to 87 years) with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or any type of dementia.
What was found
A total of 19 RCTs involving 1,024 participants were analyzed. Music-based interventions showed statistically significant improvements in general cognitive function (MMSE), executive function (Frontal Assessment Battery), and episodic memory (Auditory Verbal Learning Test). The abstract provides no specific numerical effect sizes, confidence intervals, or p-values.
Why it matters
This review aggregates randomized trial evidence showing that non-pharmacological music interventions can support multiple cognitive domains in patients with MCI and dementia.
Limits
The abstract reports no numerical effect sizes, variance estimates, or heterogeneity measures. Subgroup differences between MCI and distinct dementia subtypes, as well as specific intervention types (active vs. passive) and durations, are not detailed.