Music Therapy on Cognition in Neurorehabilitation

The Effect of Music Therapy on Cognition in Neurorehabilitation - A Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial

Music therapy has received more attention with its surging application in neuro-rehabilitation overseas. Given the dearth of music therapy and cognitive rehabilitation research conducted in Malaysia, this pilot study intended to investigate the effect of active and passive music therapy interventions versus the standard care condition in cognition among adults with neuro-rehabilitation needs.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Stroke; Dementia; Traumatic Brain Injury
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Passive Music Therapy (P); Other: Active Music Therapy (A); Other: Standard Care Control Condition (C)

Detailed Description

Music therapy has received more attention with its surging application in neuro-rehabilitation overseas. Given the dearth of music therapy and cognitive rehabilitation research conducted in Malaysia, this pilot study intended to investigate the effect of active and passive music therapy interventions versus the standard care condition in cognition among adults with neuro-rehabilitation needs.

Thirty subjects participated in this study. Each participant received one session of each of the following: active music therapy intervention, passive music therapy intervention, and standard card. Mini-Cog tests were conducted before and after each session and the scores were collected for data analysis. Throughout the study, observations ensured the troubleshooting of any potential flaws for future recommendations.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Malaysia
  • Malacca
    • Malaca, Malacca, Malaysia, 75450
      • SOSCO Rehabilitation Centre

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• NeuroRehabilitation Needs

Exclusion Criteria:

• obtain a score of above 22 or below 10 on the MMSE
• have documented current/active episodes of hallucinations and/or delusions
• have documented hearing impairments with or without hearing aid(s)
• have language barrier, i.e. do not speak or understand English, Mandarin or Malay

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Passive Music Therapy (P); The therapist read a standardized relaxation script in the research participant's selected preferred language while improvising on the keyboard. The script was inclusive of deep breathing and imagining a positive image. The research participants were asked to close his or her eyes while relaxing and imagining. The entire intervention lasted approximately 15 minutes. The research participants were allowed to request to stop the intervention at any time	Other: Passive Music Therapy (P); Music Therapy Intervention
Experimental: Active Music Therapy (A); The research participants were given a standardized assortment of percussion instruments to choose from. The therapist provided instructions of playing instruments along with the therapist. The research participant was allowed to change his or her instrument at any time and was advised to sing along with the therapist. Based on the research participant's age, the therapist selected the songs to sing and accompany on either the guitar or the keyboard. The duration of the intervention was approximately 15 minutes, which allowed about five to six songs to be sung. The research participants were allowed to request to repeat or skip any of the songs at any time.	Other: Active Music Therapy (A); Music Therapy Intervention
Active Comparator: Standard Care Control Condition (C); The control condition involved mundane activities such as chatting, resting, or reading magazines, with the MT, in the treatment room.	Other: Standard Care Control Condition (C); Without any intervention

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Mini-Cog™ test	The Friedman test was conducted to determine whether Mini-Cog test scores differ from P, A, and C. A score of 0-2 suggests a higher likelihood of significant cognitive impairment, while a score of 3-5 indicates a lower likelihood of dementia but does not exclude mild impairment.	1 year

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Malaya

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 1, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 30, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): January 21, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 2, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 26, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): December 5, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 10, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 8, 2025
• Last Verified: April 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Cognition; Music therapy; Active; Passive; neurorehabilitation needs
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Wounds and Injuries; Craniocerebral Trauma; Trauma, Nervous System; Brain Injuries, Traumatic; Brain Injuries

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No