Efficacy of music therapy on mild cognitive impairment in the aging population: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND

Mild cognitive impairment represents an intermediate stage between normal aging and dementia, affecting memory, executive function, and daily living in older adults. This meta-analysis was conducted to assess the efficacy of music therapy on cognitive and neuropsychological outcomes in older individuals with mild cognitive impairment.

METHODS

Searches of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wan Fang databases from inception to December 30, 2024. Standardized mean differences for mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scores, comparing older adults with mild cognitive impairment to control groups, were pooled using a fixed-effect model. Publication bias was assessed by inspecting funnel plot symmetry and conducting Egger regression test.

RESULTS

A total of 8 studies were included in our study. A fixed effects model was used to pool the data because the heterogeneity tests indicated a low degree of heterogeneity (I2 = 42.6%, P = .094). The results indicated an increased MMSE score in the patients with music therapy than the control group (SMD = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.37-0.78; P < .001).Funnel plots and Egger test revealed no significant evidence of publication bias.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis suggests that music therapy can improve cognitive outcomes in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.