Efectos de la musicoterapia neurológica en personas con demencia grave: estudio piloto

Background: Dementia is a syndrome characterized by cognitive and functional loss. Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) has been developed in recent decades, based on neuroscientific research, to help improve the dysfunctions of neurological pathologies, including dementia. Objectives: To describe the mood, behavioral, quality of life, global cognition, satisfaction and involvement effects of NMT in people with severe dementia (PcDG). Methods: Quasi-experimental pre-post repeated measures pilot study with an intervention group of 30 participants. Emotional and behavioral symptomatology, quality of life, cognition, satisfaction and involvement were evaluated. The music therapist performed ten sessions of NMT. Results: Statistically significant differences were observed before and after therapy, indicating emotional, behavioral and quality of life improvement. No statistically significant differences were found in global cognition. A significant increase in satisfaction and involvement was observed during therapy. Conclusions: This pilot study shows that NMT can contribute positively to improve emotional and behavioral symptoms, quality of life, satisfaction and involvement in PcDG, but more research on the subject is needed.