Comparing the Effects of Multisensory Stimulation and Individualized Music Sessions on Elderly People with Severe Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of a multisensory stimulation environment (MSSE) and individualized music sessions on agitation, emotional and cognitive status, and dementia severity in a sample of institutionalized patients with severe dementia. Twenty-two participants with a diagnosis of severe or very severe dementia were randomly assigned to two groups: MSSE and individualized music sessions. Both groups participated in two 30-min weekly sessions over 16 weeks. Outcomes were agitation (Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory, CMAI), mood (Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia, CSDD), anxiety (Rating Anxiety in Dementia, RAID), cognitive function (Severe Mini-Mental State Examination, SMMSE), and the overall severity of dementia (Bedford Alzheimer Nursing Severity Scale, BANS-S). They were assessed at baseline (pre-trial), in the middle (mid-trial), at the end of the intervention (post-trial), and 8 weeks after the intervention (follow-up). Patients in the MSSE group showed significant improvement in their RAID and BANS-S scores compared with the individualized music group post- versus pre-trial. With regard to agitation, there was improvement during the intervention in both the MSSE and individualized music groups in the CMAI total score after 16 weeks of intervention, with no significant differences between the groups. The results suggest that MSSE could have better effects on anxiety symptoms and dementia severity in comparison with individualized music sessions in elderly patients with severe dementia.

Impact of individualised music listening intervention on persons with dementia: A systematic review of randomised controlled trials

“…Further data extraction of 141 full‐text articles excluded 135 papers based on the inclusion criteria. Although six papers met the inclusion criteria, three papers were from the same research project as confirmed by the study author . Thus, a total of four studies were included in this review as shown in Figure .…”

“…Music was played through a compact disc (CD) player or a computer in the participant's room, in a private/quiet room or a familiar area. Trained professionals and a research assistant delivered the intervention. In one study, it was stated only that the participants passively listened to their preferred music, while in another study, the music therapist prepared the music playlist but the participants listened to the music without interaction with the therapist .…”

“…All studies were at high risk of bias based on not blinding participants or personnel, due to the nature of the intervention. For the blinding of outcome assessment, the ratings were mixed: two studies were at low risk, one was at high risk, and one was unclear . Three studies were at low risk for incomplete data, while one study was rated unclear due to the lack of description as to how the authors managed missing data .…”

“…For the blinding of outcome assessment, the ratings were mixed: two studies were at low risk, one was at high risk, and one was unclear . Three studies were at low risk for incomplete data, while one study was rated unclear due to the lack of description as to how the authors managed missing data . All of the included studies were rated unclear for the selective outcome reporting as there was no published protocol paper for reference on further details about the study outcomes.…”

Non-Pharmalogical Interventions towards Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia—An Integrated Literature Review

“…The result showed that the multisensory environment had a better effect on anxiety than the music sessions. As for agitation, both groups had improved results [20]. However, Raglio et al [21] showed a different result.…”