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Completed

NCT Number: NCT02564601

The Impact of Piano Training on Cognitive Performance and Psychosocial Well-Being in Older Adults

This project evaluates the effects of piano training and computerized cognitive training on cognitive performance in healthy older adults compared to controls. The project is intended for healthy older adults (60-80 years) with little to no previous musical training (less than three years of prior musical training or cognitive training and not currently engaged in music reading or musical performance, less than 10 hours of previous cognitive training). Investigators anticipate that musical engagement will serve as an enjoyable cognitive intervention for older adults. Investigators believe that piano training will enhance cognitive performance on executive functions essential for maintaining independence in older adulthood. Learning a musical instrument, while challenging, will improve self-efficacy, mood, and qualtiy of life. Participants engaged in piano training will demonstrate reduced cortisol levels and increased immune function responses. Investigators predict that adults enrolled in computerized cognitive training will demonstrate enhanced memory, working memory and self-efficacy post-training.

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Key information

Conditions

Aging

Age range

60 year–80 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of South Florida

Tampa, Florida, 33620, United States

About this study

The project purpose is to scientifically examine the benefits of piano training as compared to computer cognitive training and no treatment controls on cognitive (processing speed, task-switching, verbal fluency, verbal memory, and working memory), psychosocial (mood, self-efficacy, and quality of life), and physiological variables (biomarkers) in healthy older adult participants in a randomized clinical trial design.

Participants: Ninety community dwelling older adults will be recruited from the community. Criteria for enrollment are: between the ages of 60-80, native English speakers, not currently taking medications affecting memory performance, have no pre-existing cognitive impairment or neurological disorders, (as indicated by the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status > 30), no moderate to severe depression (as indicated by the Geriatric Depression Scale), no difficulty with hand movements, less than three years of prior musical training, not currently engaged in music reading or musical performance, and less than ten hours of prior computer brain training experience. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups stratified by intelligence and gender: piano instruction, computerized cognitive training or a no treatment control group. Informed written consent will be obtained in accordance with the Institutional Review Board.

Procedure: Participants will be tested in three visits: pre-training, immediately post-training, and three months follow-up. Those randomized to piano training or computerized cognitive training will complete their assigned training between pre-training and post-training visits. Measures of music aptitude and intelligence will be administered at the pre-training visit. These factors can influence cognitive performance. Any significant differences at baseline between the three assigned groups will be statistically controlled for in the analyses. Standardized cognitive measures will be used to examine processing speed, task-switching, verbal fluency, verbal memory, and working memory at each visit. Psychosocial outcomes (mood, self-efficacy, and quality of life) and physiological biomarkers will also be evaluated at each visit.

The goal for both interventions will be to complete 48 hours of group training over a four month period (16 weeks). Sixty participants (30 piano training; 30 auditory computer training) will be asked to attend three hours of training each week. Thirty participants will serve in the no treatment control group. Piano training will consist of basic piano technique, dexterity exercises, piano literature, and music theory. Participants will be expected to perform all major scales, repertoire from the Alfred All-in-One Method, and complete weekly theory assignments. Each class session is structured as a cognitive intervention that focuses upon review of materials (15-20 min), and the remaining portion of the class focuses upon learning new skills and concepts. Computerized cognitive training involves computerized perceptual practice exercises that vary in difficulty ranging from basic auditory processing speed to application through memory exercises. Within each exercise, the stimuli (i.e., tones, speech sounds, words, sentences) become less discriminable and speed of presentation increases (making the exercises more difficult) as performance improves. The Brain Fitness training program with working memory exercises will be used.

Data source(s). Data will consist of a series of standardized cognitive, psychosocial, and neurophysiological measures administered at three time points: pre-training, post-training, and at a three month follow-up. All standardized measures have been previously used to assess the efficacy of cognitive training approaches and demonstrate good psychometric properties.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Between the ages of 60-80
  • native English speakers
  • no pre-existing cognitive impairment or neurological impairment
  • not taking medications affecting memory performance (sleep meds, antidepressants, etc.)
  • Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (score >30)
  • no moderate to severe depression
  • no difficulty with hand movements
  • less than three years of formal music training
  • no difficulty with the movement of their hands
  • not currently engaged in music reading or musical performance
  • < 10 hours of previous cognitive training

Exclusion criteria

  • Those not between 60-80
  • those taking medications affecting memory performance
  • Non-Native English Speakers
  • Those with pre-existing cognitive impairment
  • Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (score < 30)
  • Those with difficulty in the movement of their hands
  • Those with more than three years of formal music training or currently engaged in music reading or music performance
  • Those with more than ten hours of cognitive training

Treatment and study plan

Piano training

Behavioral

The intervention focuses upon progressively difficult piano performance exercises (repertoire), technique, and finger dexterity exercises.

Computer Cognitive Training

Behavioral

The intervention focuses upon progressively difficult perceptual exercises using the Brain Fitness program plus working memory exercises.

Primary outcomes

  1. N-Back

    Time frame: (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

    Working Memory Measure in the Visual Domain

  2. Cued Color Word Stroop

    Time frame: (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

    Cognitive Control, Inhibition

  3. Digit Coding- WAIS IV subtest

    Time frame: (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

    Simple Processing Speed

  4. Symbol Search- WAIS IV subtest

    Time frame: (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

    Visual Scanning

  5. Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT)

    Time frame: (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

    Complex processing speed

  6. Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test

    Time frame: (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

    Verbal Memory

  7. Delis Kaplan Executive Function Verbal Fluency subtest

    Time frame: (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

    Category Fluency, Letter Fluency, Category Switching

  8. Trail Making Test

    Time frame: (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

    Planning and Processing Speed

  9. Finger Tapper Test

    Time frame: (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

    Motor Speed

  10. Salivary Cortisol

    Time frame: (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

    Stress Levels

  11. SIgA levels

    Time frame: (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

    Immune Function

  12. Musical Performance Self-Efficacy

    Time frame: (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

    Musical Self-Efficacy

  13. General Self-Efficacy

    Time frame: (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

    General Self-Efficacy

  14. Cognitive Self-Report Questionnaire (25)

    Time frame: (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months

    Mood

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of South Florida

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2015
Primary completion
2017
Study completion
2017
First posted
Oct 1, 2015
Registry last updated
May 1, 2019

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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