| The rate of dementia is steadily increasing, and no cure has yet been identified for the
most common type, Alzheimer’s disease. As a result, many researchers have focused their
efforts on identifying non-pharmacological interventions that can slow down the progression of
cognitive decline or even improve cognitive functioning. There is some evidence showing that
music and physical exercise interventions can maintain and/or improve cognitive functions.
However, it is unclear whether one intervention is more effective than the other for healthy
older adults because previous research has not experimentally compared the two. The purpose
of the study was to compare a music-based intervention and a physical exercise intervention to
determine if one intervention is more effective at improving cognitive function in a sample of
healthy older adults. Participants were randomly assigned to either the music intervention,
exercise intervention, or control group, and cognitive function (global cognition, processing
speed, and executive function) was measured before and after the intervention. Neither
intervention (music or exercise) significantly improved global cognition, processing speed, or
executive function over time. These findings suggest that neither music nor exercise aids
cognition. However, it is possible that the study’s experimental design (e.g., single session
interventions, cognitive measures used) contributed to the non-significant results.
Keywords: music, exercise, cognitive function, older adults |