The effect of receptive music therapy on older adults with mild cognitive impairment and depression: a randomized controlled trial

This study aims to evaluate the effects of a receptive music therapy intervention on cognitive functions and depressive symptoms in older adults with MCI. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in Wuhan, China. Eighty older adults, over 65, who had MCI and depression symptoms were randomly divided into the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received usual nursing care plus receptive music therapy intervention four times a week, for eight weeks; the control group received usual nursing care during the same period. The linear regression analysis was used to compare the difference between groups. There was a significant difference in the intervention group for the pre-intervention and post-intervention scores of cognitive function and depression. There was no significant difference in the control group before and after the study period and a significant between-group difference in both cognitive function and depression. In conclusion, receptive music therapy intervention significantly improved cognitive function and reduced depressive symptoms in older adults with MCI. It could be widely used in communities and nursing homes to improve the quality of life of older adults.