Objective: Music is known to enhance cognitive functions of patients with dementia. However, it remains unclear what aspects of music influence each cognitive domain. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of individual musical components (familiarity, melody and rhythm) on attention and memory in patients with mild dementia.
Design: In Experiment 1, effect of familiar music, unfamiliar music or cafeteria noise was compared on verbal and visual memory, and attention. In Experiment 2, effect of melody and rhythm was compared on verbal and visual memory.
Materials and Methods: [Experiment 1] Materials included a medley of five familiar songs played on a keyboard, a medley of five unfamiliar songs, and cafeteria noise. Unfamiliar songs were composed using a computer by systematically changing sounds of the familiar songs, thus making auditory inputs of familiar and unfamiliar songs equivalent. Participants were 17 patients who were clinically diagnosed as mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia (mean age 72.0 years, mean MMSE 24.4, CDR 0.5-1.0). Participants were examined on separate three days. On each day, they received test sessions of verbal memory (a short version of Auditory Verbal Learning Test, AVLT), visual memory (Benton Visual Retention Test, VRT), and attention (a maze and cancellation tasks). Participants listened to familiar songs, unfamiliar songs or cafeteria noise immediately prior to individual test sessions. [Experiment 2] Materials consisted of melodious music (a classical music played by orchestra) and rhythmic music (a performance of Japanese traditional drums). Participants were 10 patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia (mean age 72.0 years, mean MMSE 24.7, CDR 0.5-1.0). Participants were examined on separate two days. On each day, they received the same verbal and visual memory tests as in Experiment 1 after listening to either melodious or rhythmic music.
Results: Experiment 1 demonstrated that errors on Benton VRT in familiar music condition (11.7) were significantly lower than those in cafeteria noise condition (13.9)(p<.05). Errors in unfamiliar music condition were intermediate. Performance on AVLT and two attentional measures (maze and cancellation) was equivalent throughout the conditions. Experiment 2 demonstrated that performance of Benton VRT was significantly better in melody condition as compared to rhythm condition [correct, melody 3.9, rhythm 2.9, p<.05; error, melody 10.4, rhythm 14.4, p<.01]. No differences were obtained concerning AVLT performance between melody and rhythm conditions.
Conclusion: Visual memory appeared to be facilitated by listening to music, specifically, melodious music. This may partially support the notion that melody is subserved by right hemisphere functions, thereby enhancing nonverbal visuospatial memories.
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