Train the Brain With Music: Brain Plasticity and Cognitive Benefits Induced by Musical Practice in Elderly People

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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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
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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.

Official Title
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Train the Brain With Music: Brain Plasticity and Cognitive Benefits Induced by Musical Practice in Elderly People in Germany and Switzerland

Conditions
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Age-related Cognitive Decline

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: musical practice
* Behavioral: music education


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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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.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 64 Years
Maximum Age: 76 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Longitudinal RCT (clinical trial) with an experimental group and an active control group
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: musical practice<br>Intensive weekly musical keyboard training over 12 months | Behavioral: musical practice<br>* Intensive weekly musical keyboard training over 12 months<br>|
| Active Comparator: music education<br>Recreative weekly musical courses without practice over 12 months | Behavioral: music education<br>* Recreative weekly musical courses without practice over 12 months<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Continuous Echo-Planar Imaging (EPI) | Resting state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), informs on functional connectivity | 18 months (4 measurements over time) | 
| Magnetization-Prepared 2 Rapid Acquisition Gradient Echo (MP2RAGE) | Magnetic Resonance Imaging measure, allows to image gray matter | 18 months (4 measurements over time) | 
| functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) | Functional Imaging of a tonal Working Memory task, allows to study involved networks | 18 months (4 measurements over time) | 
| Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Imaging (MR-DTI) | Diffusion weighted echo-planar gradient echo sequence, allows to image white matter and structural connectivity | 18 months (4 measurements over time) | 
| Magnetic Resonance Arterial Spin Labeling (MR-ASL) | Blood perfusion assessment | 18 months (4 measurements over time) | 
| Behavioral Battery (cognitive function) | Comprehensive cognitive testing, full battery will be provided on request; involves Basic cognition, Executive Function, Fluid Intelligence, Verbal Memory | 18 months (4 measurements over time) | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Behavioral Battery (sensorimotor function) | Sensorimotor testing, full battery will be provided on request; involves manual dexterity and hearing tests | 18 months (4 measurements over time) | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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countervail age-related cognitive and cerebral decline, healthy elderly, musical training, neuroimagery and brain plasticity, psychometrics, executive function, mental health, well-being, sensorimotor function