AzTrials
AzTrials

AgingNCT02564601

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

A study testing Piano Training and Computer Cognitive Training in people with Aging, run by University of South Florida at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

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… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 60 to 80 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Aging
What is being tested?
Piano Training and Computer Cognitive Training
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
93 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Jun 2015to Jun 2017
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 60 to 80 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • 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
Show all 11Show fewer
  • 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

Who cannot join

  • 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

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • University of South Florida

    Tampa, Florida, 33620

Other trials in United States

About this study

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.

Read the detailed description

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.

Conditions
Aging
Being tested
Piano Training, Computer Cognitive Training
Keywords
intervention, cognition, aging, piano training, computer brain training

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Piano TrainingBehavioural

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

  • Computer Cognitive TrainingBehavioural

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

Study groups in NCT02564601
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
A1 Piano TrainingExperimental16 weekly classes will be provided to the piano training group. Each piano class session will focus upon review of materials (15-20 min), and the remaining portion of the class will focus upon learning new skills and concepts. This course includes finger dexterity exercises, basic piano technique, and basic piano repertoire.
Receives: Behavioral: Piano Training
A2 Computer Cognitive TrainingExperimental16 weekly classes will be provided to the computerized cognitive training group. Computerized cognitive training involves process-based computerized practice of adaptive perceptual exercises. Each computer cognitive training class session will focus upon practice of cognitive exercises that vary in difficulty ranging from basic auditory processing speed to application through memory and working 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.
Receives: Behavioral: Computer Cognitive Training
A 3 No Treatment ControlsNo interventionNo classes will be provided to our control group. This is a no-treatment control group.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. N-Back

    Working Memory Measure in the Visual Domain

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

  2. Cued Color Word Stroop

    Cognitive Control, Inhibition

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

  3. Digit Coding- WAIS IV subtest

    Simple Processing Speed

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

  4. Symbol Search- WAIS IV subtest

    Visual Scanning

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

  5. Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT)

    Complex processing speed

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

  6. Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test

    Verbal Memory

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

  7. Delis Kaplan Executive Function Verbal Fluency subtest

    Category Fluency, Letter Fluency, Category Switching

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

  8. Trail Making Test

    Planning and Processing Speed

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

  9. Finger Tapper Test

    Motor Speed

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

  10. Salivary Cortisol

    Stress Levels

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

  11. SIgA levels

    Immune Function

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

  12. Musical Performance Self-Efficacy

    Musical Self-Efficacy

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

  13. General Self-Efficacy

    General Self-Efficacy

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

  14. Cognitive Self-Report Questionnaire (25)

    Mood

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

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted1 Oct 2015 (estimated)
  2. Study startJun 2015
  3. Primary completionJun 2017
  4. Study completionJun 2017

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Other
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
93 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02564601
Sponsor's protocol ID
19415
Status last verified
Apr 2019
First submitted
16 Sep 2015
Last updated
1 May 2019
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
Individual data sharing
No: No, there is no plan to share individual participant data. We plan on publishing all data collectively.

Publications

  • Smith GE, Housen P, Yaffe K, Ruff R, Kennison RF, Mahncke HW, Zelinski EM. A cognitive training program based on principles of brain plasticity: results from the Improvement in Memory with Plasticity-based Adaptive Cognitive Training (IMPACT) study. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2009 Apr;57(4):594-603. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2008.02167.x. Epub 2009 Feb 9.

    PubMed 19220558
  • Duff K, Tometich D, Dennett K. The Modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status is More Predictive of Memory Abilities Than the Mini-Mental State Examination. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol. 2015 Sep;28(3):193-7. doi: 10.1177/0891988715573532. Epub 2015 Feb 26.

    PubMed 25722349
  • Bugos JA, Perlstein WM, McCrae CS, Brophy TS, Bedenbaugh PH. Individualized piano instruction enhances executive functioning and working memory in older adults. Aging Ment Health. 2007 Jul;11(4):464-71. doi: 10.1080/13607860601086504.

    PubMed 17612811
  • Bugos JA, Wang Y. Piano Training Enhances Executive Functions and Psychosocial Outcomes in Aging: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2022 Sep 1;77(9):1625-1636. doi: 10.1093/geronb/gbac021.

    PubMed 35134913

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Piano Training and Computer Cognitive Training in people with Aging, run by University of South Florida at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 11 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 May 2019. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

N-Back (time frame: (CHANGE) up to 16 weeks and after study completion 7 months). The study lists 14 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02564601, which also lists 4 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 1 May 2019.

Free account

Log in to keep searching

You’ve used your 3 free searches. AzTrials is free: log in or create a free account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in