Written by: Evangeline Halim
Edited by: Maggie Huang
Dementia is a neurocognitive disorder that presents itself in millions of people across the world. Several of its hallmark traits include memory loss, cognitive impairments, and communication difficulties. While these symptoms may be severe and significantly reduce one’s everyday functioning, research shows that certain cognitive abilities may remain intact. One specific area seen to be preserved in individuals with dementia is memory with music. Not only such but also, individuals who reside in residential care facilities have been shown to respond positively to music therapy. Remarkably, these results have been found in those who undergo certain forms of dementia, including specifically, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia.
Firstly, it’s important to know exactly what dementia is perceived as according to the DSM-5. It is now formally called Major Neurocognitive Disorder (MND), and a diagnosis of this can include one of the 13 etiological subtypes. These subtypes of dementia include a decline in memory and other cognitive aspects that impact everyday living. Such subtypes include Alzheimer's disease, vascular disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, Lewy body disease, Parkinson's disease, HIV infection, Huntington's disease, prion disease, substance and or medication use, traumatic brain injury, another medical condition, multiple etiologies, and unspecified (Emmady et al., 2022).
As mentioned, one of the cognitive impairments that may come with dementia is difficulties with communication, such as using everyday language to speak and convey thoughts or simply comprehending others. According to a study, it has been found that common impairments in Alzheimer’s disease (AD, a subtype of dementia) are difficulty finding words for objects, naming items, and understanding, along with an overall struggle with syntax and verbal feedback (Banovic et al., 2018). Concerning these factors, it is evident that there should be methods or potential solutions to cope with this. There are several ways to alleviate the potential communication barrier one may have with individuals diagnosed with AD dementia. For instance, caregivers are encouraged to adjust their way of communicating, including maintaining eye contact, using simpler language/shorter sentences, and fostering a positive, patient environment to accommodate this aspect (Banovic et al., 2018).
However, these are not the only solutions that have been found to assist those with AD dementia. An empirical research article suggests that music training may benefit these individuals in alleviating other symptoms, paired with other remarkable details regarding the underlying cognitive functioning of music. Through reminiscence-based music (music with which one is familiar), patients with AD dementia have been found to have reduced depressive symptoms. Additionally, individual therapy with preferred music has decreased aggressive behaviors in these patients (Nair et al., 2013). Surprisingly, although a key feature of AD dementia is memory loss, some other forms of memory can potentially be preserved. One of which is music, and several other smaller studies suggest that even the ability to play an instrument can be retained with AD dementia (Nair et al., 2013).
While dementia is known to present significant difficulties regarding one’s ability to communicate and overall function, research has shown various solutions that may benefit these individuals, such as adjusting one’s way of speaking and music therapy. It is nonetheless noteworthy how an individual’s memory, particularly one affected by the symptoms of memory loss, can still have preserved musical abilities. These findings not only highlight the overall importance of beneficial interventions for those who have dementia but overall, spread knowledge and awareness for others to further improve their quality of living.
References:
Banovic, S., Zunic, L., & Sinanovic, O. (2018). Communication Difficulties as a Result of Dementia. Materia Socio Medica, 30(2), 221. https://doi.org/10.5455/msm.2018.30.221-224
Emmady, P. D., Schoo, C., & Tadi, P. (2022, November 19). Major Neurocognitive Disorder (Dementia). StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557444/
Nair, B. K., Browne, W., Marley, J., & Heim, C. (2013, September). Music and dementia. Degenerative Neurological and Neuromuscular Disease, 47. https://doi.org/10.2147/dnnd.s35762
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