Study Suggests Music Therapy Could Alleviate Depression in Dementia Patients
A new Cochrane review has found evidence that music-based therapy may benefit people living with dementia, particularly by improving symptoms of depression. Dementia is a collective term for progressive degenerative brain syndromes that affect memory, thinking, behaviour and emotion.
The work has been published in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Alzheimer’s Disease International reported that there were 55 million people with dementia worldwide in 2019, a figure predicted to increase to 139 million by 2050. While some medicines are available, the therapeutic use of music is considered a relatively simple and inexpensive approach that remains accessible even in the later stages of dementia.
The research team from several institutions in the Netherlands examined evidence from 30 studies involving 1,720 people. The studies investigated the effects of music-based therapeutic interventions on emotional well-being, including quality of life, mood disturbance, behavioural problems, social behaviour, and cognition.
"This review increases our understanding of the effects of music therapy and strengthens the case for incorporating music in dementia care, particularly in care home settings,” says lead author Jenny van der Steen from Leiden University Medical Center and Radboudumc Alzheimer Center. “Music therapy offers benefits beyond those of other group activities, helping to support mood and behaviour in a way that is engaging and accessible, even in later stages of dementia. Care home managers should consider integrating structured musical sessions as part of a person-centred approach to dementia care.”
The findings suggest that music-based therapy probably improves depressive symptoms and may improve overall behavioural problems by the end of treatment. Music therapy is unlikely to significantly impact agitation, aggression, emotional well-being, or cognition but, when compared to other interventions, there is some evidence that it may improve social behaviour and could decrease anxiety.
The review underscores the need for further research into the long-term effects of music-based therapy particularly in community settings.
Ref: Music-based therapy may improve depressive symptoms in people with dementia, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2025). DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003477.pub5/full
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