Efficacy of music therapy on mild cognitive impairment in the aging population: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Li Y, Jiang X, Zhu M, Li X, Wang Y
Medicine · 1 citation
Review labels
Neutral facts our review recorded about how this study was done. They describe method, never whether we like the result.
How it was studied
- Design
- Meta-analysis (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Funding not disclosed
Publication
- Published
- 2026-01-16 · Medicine (Baltimore) · vol. 105 · issue 3 · p. e47299
- Publisher
- Wolters Kluwer
- Cited
- 1 citation · more than 83% of similar papers · 2.6× the field average
- References
- 38 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Music Therapy and Health · Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research · Neuroscience and Music Perception
- Keywords
- Cognitive impairment, Cognition, Music therapy, MEDLINE, Cognitive therapy
- MeSH
- humans, treatment outcome, music therapy, aging, aged, female, male, cognitive dysfunction
5 authors
From CN
- Yi LiXinjiang Medical University; Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University
- Xiaorong Jiang
- Meiyu ZhuXinjiang Medical University; Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University
- Ximei Li
- Yu Wang · correspondingXinjiang Medical University; Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University
Abstract
Background
Mild cognitive impairment represents an intermediate stage between normal aging and dementia, affecting memory, executive function, and daily living in older adults. This meta-analysis was conducted to assess the efficacy of music therapy on cognitive and neuropsychological outcomes in older individuals with mild cognitive impairment.
Methods
Searches of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wan Fang databases from inception to December 30, 2024. Standardized mean differences for mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scores, comparing older adults with mild cognitive impairment to control groups, were pooled using a fixed-effect model. Publication bias was assessed by inspecting funnel plot symmetry and conducting Egger regression test.
Results
A total of 8 studies were included in our study. A fixed effects model was used to pool the data because the heterogeneity tests indicated a low degree of heterogeneity (I2 = 42.6%, P = .094). The results indicated an increased MMSE score in the patients with music therapy than the control group (SMD = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.37-0.78; P < .001).Funnel plots and Egger test revealed no significant evidence of publication bias.
Conclusion
This meta-analysis suggests that music therapy can improve cognitive outcomes in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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