Music interventions in 132 healthy older adults enhance cerebellar grey matter and auditory working memory, despite general brain atrophy
Marie D, Müller CAH, Altenmüller E, Van De Ville D, Jünemann K, Scholz DS, Krüger THC, Worschech F, Kliegel M, Sinke C, James CE
Neuroimage. Reports · 18 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Randomized controlled trial (classified by our AI screen)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- National Science Foundation
- Government
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Government
- Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
- Government
- Swiss National Science Foundation
- Government
- German Research Foundation
- Grants
- Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (170410); Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (323965454)
Based on 5 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2023-03-23 · Neuroimage Rep · vol. 3 · issue 2 · p. 100166
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Cited
- 42 citations · more than 97% of similar papers · 5.4× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 147 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Neuroscience and Music Perception · Hearing Loss and Rehabilitation · Hearing, Cochlea, Tinnitus, Genetics
- Keywords
- Working memory, Psychology, Audiology, Context (archaeology), Grey matter, Voxel-based morphometry, Cognition, Neuroplasticity, Effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance, Neuroscience, Cognitive psychology, Medicine, White matter, Magnetic resonance imaging
11 authors
From CH, DE
- Damien Marié · correspondingUniversity of Geneva; HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland; Centre d'Imagerie BioMedicale
- Cécile A. H. MüllerUniversity of Geneva; HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland
- ECKART O. ALTENMÜLLERHanover University of Music Drama and Media
- Dimitri Van De VilleUniversity of Geneva; Centre d'Imagerie BioMedicale; École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
- Kristin JünemannMedizinische Hochschule Hannover
- Daniel S. ScholzHanover University of Music Drama and Media
Abstract
Normal aging is associated with brain atrophy and cognitive decline. Working memory, involved in cognitive functioning and daily living, is particularly affected. Music training gained momentum in research on brain plasticity and possible transfer effects of interventions on working memory, especially in the context of healthy aging. This longitudinal voxel-based morphometry study evaluated effects of 6-month music interventions on grey matter volume plasticity and auditory working memory performance in 132 healthy older adults. This study is part of a randomized controlled trial comparing two interventions: piano practice (experimental group) and musical culture (musical listening awareness, active control). We report significant grey matter volume increase at whole-brain level in the caudate nucleus, Rolandic operculum and inferior cerebellum when merging both groups, but no group differences. Cerebellar grey matter increase, training intensity metrics and sleep were positively associated with tonal working memory improvement. Digit Span Backward verbal working memory performance also increased. Using region of interest analyses, we showed a group difference in the right primary auditory cortex grey matter volume, decreasing in the musical group while staying stable in the piano group. In contrast, a significant 6-month whole-brain atrophy pattern consistent with longer-term investigations of the aging brain was revealed. We argue that education for seniors should become a major policy priority in the framework of healthy aging, to promote brain plasticity and cognitive reserve, through stimulating group interventions such as music-making and active listening.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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