2023 Alzheimer's Association Research Fellowship (AARF)
Music Stimulation for Physical Activity of Older Adults at Risk of Dementia
Can a novel music-based exercise be used to improve physical activity and brain health in older adults?
Kyoung Shin Park, Ph.D.
University of North Carolina
Greensboro, NC - United States
Background
Scientists believe that Alzheimer’s and other dementia, like many chronic diseases, develop as a result of multiple factors rather than a single cause. Research suggests that some risk factors for Alzheimer’s are modifiable. One way individuals may be able to delay or slow disease progression is through physical activity. Studies have linked sustained exercise and physical activity with improved cognition (brain function) and health-related quality of life. Despite the potential benefits of exercise for older adults, individuals at risk of developing Alzheimer’s show lower levels of physical activity and more sedentary behavior. These individuals include people with subjective cognitive decline, or those who self-report complaints about their memory or other cognitive functions.
In recent years, investigators have been testing new methods of promoting physical exercise among individuals at risk of dementia. Dr. Kyoung Shin Park and colleagues, for example, have begun investigating how the use of music might make exercise more enjoyable and enticing for these individuals. They have tested the “beat-accentuated music stimulation” (BMS) procedure, in which individuals do aerobic exercise (such as walking) as they listen to music tracks with enhanced sounds (or “beats”) that match the tempo of their exercise motions. In a small study, the researchers found that older adults who used BMS significantly increased their amount of weekly exercise, improved their cognitive function and reported high satisfactions with the procedure.
Research Plan
Dr. Park and colleagues will now conduct a larger study to assess the effectiveness of BMS. They will recruit 80 older individuals with subjective cognitive decline, some of whom will undergo a 6-month exercise program with BMS and some of whom will undertake a similar exercise program without music enhancement. These programs will include both aerobic exercise and strength training. Using cognitive and other tests administered before and after the 6-month period, Dr. Park’s team will compare the volume of exercise achieved by each group. They will assess how well the BMS-enhanced exercise program improved the individual's cognition, quality of life and overall fitness, compared with a standard exercise program. In addition, the investigators will determine how BMS impacted individuals’ willingness to exercise and enjoyment of exercise.
Impact
Results from this study could lead to future, larger scale clinical trials of the BMS exercise program. Ultimately, this program could offer a cost-effective, non-pharmacological method of preventing or slowing dementia onset in at-risk individuals.