Train the Brain With Music: Brain Plasticity and Cognitive Benefits Induced by Musical Practice in Elderly People (TBM)

Train the Brain With Music: Brain Plasticity and Cognitive Benefits Induced by Musical Practice in Elderly People

Train the Brain With Music: Brain Plasticity and Cognitive Benefits Induced by Musical Practice in Elderly People in Germany and Switzerland

This longitudinal study aims to countervail age-related cognitive and cerebral decline in healthy retired people through intensive piano / keyboard music practice in Switzerland and Germany.

Recent data suggest that music making might prevent cognitive decline in the elderly. However, experimental evidence remains sparse and no information on the neurophysiological basis has been provided, although cognitive decline is a major impediment to healthy aging. This study combines for the first time protocolled music practice in elderly with cutting-edge neuroimaging. The investigators propose a multi-site Hannover-Geneva longitudinal randomized intervention study in altogether 100 retired healthy elderly (64-76) years, 70 Geneva, 100 Hannover), offering either piano instruction or instruction on musical culture for one year. Participants will be tested at 3 time points on cognitive, perceptual and motor abilities as well as via wide-ranging functional and structural neuroimaging data (Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MRI). The research team expects positive transfer effects from intensive piano training not only on subjective well-being, but also on executive functions, working memory, hearing in noise and relationships of these behavioral features with morphological and functional brain plasticity. This study may therefore for the first time be demonstrate, that music making can provoke important societal impacts by diminishing cognitive and perceptual-motor decline underpinned by functional and structural brain plasticity.

countervail age-related cognitive and cerebral decline, healthy elderly, musical training, neuroimagery and brain plasticity, psychometrics, executive function, mental health, well-being, sensorimotor function

Diffusion weighted echo-planar gradient echo sequence, allows to image white matter and structural connectivity

Comprehensive cognitive testing, full battery will be provided on request; involves Basic cognition, Executive Function, Fluid Intelligence, Verbal Memory

Sensorimotor testing, full battery will be provided on request; involves manual dexterity and hearing tests

Inclusion Criteria: Healthy right-handed volunteers, between 64 and 76 years of age, native French speakers. No regular musical practice over the lifespan. Only retired individuals may participate. Exclusion Criteria: Impaired/not-corrected auditory or visual accuracy, neurological diseases in the present or the past, cardiovascular diseases, excessive hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus, beginning dementia, mild cognitive impairment, clinical depression.

Raw (NIfTI format for MRI data) and preprocessed data will be made available to the scientific community, via an open source scientific data base.

James CE, Altenmuller E, Kliegel M, Kruger THC, Van De Ville D, Worschech F, Abdili L, Scholz DS, Junemann K, Hering A, Grouiller F, Sinke C, Marie D. Train the brain with music (TBM): brain plasticity and cognitive benefits induced by musical training in elderly people in Germany and Switzerland, a study protocol for an RCT comparing musical instrumental practice to sensitization to music. BMC Geriatr. 2020 Oct 21;20(1):418. doi: 10.1186/s12877-020-01761-y.