Age-related Cognitive Decline
Conditions
Keywords
countervail age-related cognitive and cerebral decline, healthy elderly, musical training, neuroimagery and brain plasticity, psychometrics, executive function, mental health, well-being, sensorimotor function
Brief summary
This longitudinal study aims to countervail age-related cognitive and cerebral decline in healthy retired people through intensive piano / keyboard music practice in Switzerland and Germany.
Detailed description
Recent data suggest that music making might prevent cognitive decline in the elderly. However, experimental evidence remains sparse and no information on the neurophysiological basis has been provided, although cognitive decline is a major impediment to healthy aging. This study combines for the first time protocolled music practice in elderly with cutting-edge neuroimaging. The investigators propose a multi-site Hannover-Geneva longitudinal randomized intervention study in altogether 100 retired healthy elderly (64-76) years, 70 Geneva, 100 Hannover), offering either piano instruction or instruction on musical culture for one year. Participants will be tested at 3 time points on cognitive, perceptual and motor abilities as well as via wide-ranging functional and structural neuroimaging data (Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MRI). The research team expects positive transfer effects from intensive piano training not only on subjective well-being, but also on executive functions, working memory, hearing in noise and relationships of these behavioral features with morphological and functional brain plasticity. This study may therefore for the first time be demonstrate, that music making can provoke important societal impacts by diminishing cognitive and perceptual-motor decline underpinned by functional and structural brain plasticity.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALmusical practice
Intensive weekly musical keyboard training over 12 months
BEHAVIORALmusic education
Recreative weekly musical courses without practice over 12 months
Sponsors
Swiss National Science Foundation
German Research Foundation
School of Health Sciences Geneva
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
Longitudinal RCT (clinical trial) with an experimental group and an active control group
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
64 Years to 76 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Healthy right-handed volunteers, between 64 and 76 years of age, native French speakers. No regular musical practice over the lifespan. Only retired individuals may participate.
Exclusion criteria
* Impaired/not-corrected auditory or visual accuracy, neurological diseases in the present or the past, cardiovascular diseases, excessive hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus, beginning dementia, mild cognitive impairment, clinical depression.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) | 18 months (4 measurements over time) | Functional Imaging of a tonal Working Memory task, allows to study involved networks |
| Continuous Echo-Planar Imaging (EPI) | 18 months (4 measurements over time) | Resting state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), informs on functional connectivity |
| Magnetization-Prepared 2 Rapid Acquisition Gradient Echo (MP2RAGE) | 18 months (4 measurements over time) | Magnetic Resonance Imaging measure, allows to image gray matter |
| Behavioral Battery (cognitive function) | 18 months (4 measurements over time) | Comprehensive cognitive testing, full battery will be provided on request; involves Basic cognition, Executive Function, Fluid Intelligence, Verbal Memory |
| Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Imaging (MR-DTI) | 18 months (4 measurements over time) | Diffusion weighted echo-planar gradient echo sequence, allows to image white matter and structural connectivity |
| Magnetic Resonance Arterial Spin Labeling (MR-ASL) | 18 months (4 measurements over time) | Blood perfusion assessment |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Behavioral Battery (sensorimotor function) | 18 months (4 measurements over time) | Sensorimotor testing, full battery will be provided on request; involves manual dexterity and hearing tests |
Countries
Switzerland
Outcome results
None listed