Nervenheilkunde 2019; 38(12): 943-948
DOI: 10.1055/a-1014-6646
Übersichtsartikel
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

The impact of mild cognitive impairment on musical ability

A pilot studyDer Einfluss von leichter kognitiver Dysfunktion auf Musikalität
Carolin Agren
1   Department of Neurology, University of Münster
,
Achim Frese
2   Akademie für Manuelle Therapie, Münster
,
Oliver Summ
1   Department of Neurology, University of Münster
,
Stefan Evers
1   Department of Neurology, University of Münster
3   Department of Neurology, Krankenhaus Lindenbrunn
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
17 December 2019 (online)

ZUSAMMENFASSUNG

Hintergrund: Patienten mit einer Alzheimer-Erkrankung zeigen Beeinträchtigungen kognitiver Prozesse einschließlich der Verarbeitung musikalischer Reize. Wir haben untersucht, ob der Rückgang der musikalischen Verarbeitung schon im Stadium der mild cognitive impairment (MCI) beginnt.

Methodik: Wir haben 18 Patienten mit MCI und ohne eine andere neurologische oder psychiatrische Erkrankung eingeschlossen. Es wurde ein selbst entwickelter Musikalitätstest angewendet, der folgende Fähigkeiten misst: Identifikation von Melodien; Tonhöhenerkennung; Rhythmuserkennung; emotionaler Ausdruck der Musik. Zusätzlich haben wir Marker einer dementiellen Entwicklung im Liquor bestimmt. Wir haben die Ergebnisse der Patienten verglichen mit den Ergebnissen einer nach Alter und Geschlecht parallelisierten gesunden Vergleichsgruppe. Alle Patienten und Kontrollen hatten keine spezifische musikalische Ausbildung.

Ergebnisse: Patienten mit MCI zeigten signifikant niedrigere Ergebnisse beim Rhythmus, Metrum und emotionalen Subtests und im gesamten Test-Score. Der Gesamt-Score war invers korreliert mit dem Level von Gesamt-Tau im Liquor.

Diskussion: Unsere Daten deuten darauf hin, dass einige Domänen der Musikalität bei Patienten mit MCI signifikant beeinträchtigt sind. Dies bedeutet jedoch nicht notwendigerweise, dass die Produktion von und die Freude an Musik beeinträchtigt sind. Dennoch sollte die Beeinträchtigung von Teilen der Musikalität beim Einsatz von Musiktherapie bei diesen Patienten berücksichtigt werden.

ABSTRACT

Background: Patients with Alzheimer’s disease show impairment of cognitive processing including processing of musical stimuli. We aimed to evaluate whether the decline of musical processing already commences in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods: We enrolled 18 patients with MCI and without any other neurological or psychiatric disorder. We applied a self developed test of musical ability which evaluates the ability to identify melodies, pitch, rhythm, and emotional content of music. In addition, markers of dementia were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid. We compared the results of the patients to the results of age and sex matched healthy control subjects. All patients and subjects were without specific musical training.

Results: Patients with MCI showed a significantly lower score in the rhythm, metrum, and emotion subtests and in the total test. The total test score was inversely correlated with the level of total tau in the cerebrospinal fluid.

Conclusions: Our data suggest that some domains of musical ability are significantly impaired in patients with MCI. This does not necessarily mean that producing, enjoying, or listening to music is affected. However, it should be noted in the music therapy setting that processing of musical stimuli can be reduced in these patients.

 
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