Efficacy of music therapy as a non-pharmacological measure to support alzheimer's disease patients: a systematic review
Abstract Background Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system characterized by progressive memory degradation and language and behavior disorders. Apart from curative pharmacological therapies, music therapy (MT) has been diffusely used as an efficient and...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | BMC Geriatrics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06073-7 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849341768233910272 |
|---|---|
| author | Jia Wang Cong Liu Ying Dai Can Mei Guiping Wang Yong Wang Tao Huang Jianbo Zhan Jing Cheng |
| author_facet | Jia Wang Cong Liu Ying Dai Can Mei Guiping Wang Yong Wang Tao Huang Jianbo Zhan Jing Cheng |
| author_sort | Jia Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system characterized by progressive memory degradation and language and behavior disorders. Apart from curative pharmacological therapies, music therapy (MT) has been diffusely used as an efficient and economical non-pharmacological treatment for AD patients in recent years. Methods Three databases (PubMed, Web of Science and PsycINFO) were searched to analyse the efficacy of MT in patients with AD. Keywords included "Alzheimer's disease", "AD", "Mild Cognitive Impairment", "MCI", "music" and "music therapy". Results Literatures between January 2013 and January 2023 were selected, with 42 literatures included in the study, which highlights the beneficial impact of MT on cognition (memory, attention, language), behavioural and psychological symptoms (anxiety, depression and agitation), quality of life, self-esteem and physical pain in AD patients. Conclusion MT is a promising non-pharmacological treatment approach for individuals living with AD. However, further evidences from prospective, randomised, blinded, uniform, and rigorous method-logical investigations in this field are required to conclusively validate MT's impact on this disease. PROSPERO registration number CRD420251034039. Graphical Abstract |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4a3558b00e2043d4b6a1923f52aa6ff8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2318 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Geriatrics |
| spelling | doaj-art-4a3558b00e2043d4b6a1923f52aa6ff82025-08-20T03:43:34ZengBMCBMC Geriatrics1471-23182025-07-0125112510.1186/s12877-025-06073-7Efficacy of music therapy as a non-pharmacological measure to support alzheimer's disease patients: a systematic reviewJia Wang0Cong Liu1Ying Dai2Can Mei3Guiping Wang4Yong Wang5Tao Huang6Jianbo Zhan7Jing Cheng8School of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and TechnologyHubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and PreventionHubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and PreventionSchool of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and TechnologySchool of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and TechnologySchool of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and TechnologyHuanggang City Center for Disease Control and Prevention, HuanggangHubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and PreventionSchool of Public Health, Wuhan University of Science and TechnologyAbstract Background Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system characterized by progressive memory degradation and language and behavior disorders. Apart from curative pharmacological therapies, music therapy (MT) has been diffusely used as an efficient and economical non-pharmacological treatment for AD patients in recent years. Methods Three databases (PubMed, Web of Science and PsycINFO) were searched to analyse the efficacy of MT in patients with AD. Keywords included "Alzheimer's disease", "AD", "Mild Cognitive Impairment", "MCI", "music" and "music therapy". Results Literatures between January 2013 and January 2023 were selected, with 42 literatures included in the study, which highlights the beneficial impact of MT on cognition (memory, attention, language), behavioural and psychological symptoms (anxiety, depression and agitation), quality of life, self-esteem and physical pain in AD patients. Conclusion MT is a promising non-pharmacological treatment approach for individuals living with AD. However, further evidences from prospective, randomised, blinded, uniform, and rigorous method-logical investigations in this field are required to conclusively validate MT's impact on this disease. PROSPERO registration number CRD420251034039. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06073-7Alzheimer's diseaseNon-pharmacological interventionMusic therapyCognitionSystematic review |
| spellingShingle | Jia Wang Cong Liu Ying Dai Can Mei Guiping Wang Yong Wang Tao Huang Jianbo Zhan Jing Cheng Efficacy of music therapy as a non-pharmacological measure to support alzheimer's disease patients: a systematic review BMC Geriatrics Alzheimer's disease Non-pharmacological intervention Music therapy Cognition Systematic review |
| title | Efficacy of music therapy as a non-pharmacological measure to support alzheimer's disease patients: a systematic review |
| title_full | Efficacy of music therapy as a non-pharmacological measure to support alzheimer's disease patients: a systematic review |
| title_fullStr | Efficacy of music therapy as a non-pharmacological measure to support alzheimer's disease patients: a systematic review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Efficacy of music therapy as a non-pharmacological measure to support alzheimer's disease patients: a systematic review |
| title_short | Efficacy of music therapy as a non-pharmacological measure to support alzheimer's disease patients: a systematic review |
| title_sort | efficacy of music therapy as a non pharmacological measure to support alzheimer s disease patients a systematic review |
| topic | Alzheimer's disease Non-pharmacological intervention Music therapy Cognition Systematic review |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06073-7 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jiawang efficacyofmusictherapyasanonpharmacologicalmeasuretosupportalzheimersdiseasepatientsasystematicreview AT congliu efficacyofmusictherapyasanonpharmacologicalmeasuretosupportalzheimersdiseasepatientsasystematicreview AT yingdai efficacyofmusictherapyasanonpharmacologicalmeasuretosupportalzheimersdiseasepatientsasystematicreview AT canmei efficacyofmusictherapyasanonpharmacologicalmeasuretosupportalzheimersdiseasepatientsasystematicreview AT guipingwang efficacyofmusictherapyasanonpharmacologicalmeasuretosupportalzheimersdiseasepatientsasystematicreview AT yongwang efficacyofmusictherapyasanonpharmacologicalmeasuretosupportalzheimersdiseasepatientsasystematicreview AT taohuang efficacyofmusictherapyasanonpharmacologicalmeasuretosupportalzheimersdiseasepatientsasystematicreview AT jianbozhan efficacyofmusictherapyasanonpharmacologicalmeasuretosupportalzheimersdiseasepatientsasystematicreview AT jingcheng efficacyofmusictherapyasanonpharmacologicalmeasuretosupportalzheimersdiseasepatientsasystematicreview |