SynthesisFrontiers in public health2025
Cognitive enhancement through music therapy: meta-analytic evidence across clinical population.
Synthesis in Frontiers in public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- The Current Role of Physiotherapy in Systemic Light-Chain (AL) Amyloidosis and Multiple Myeloma.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Mechanisms of action and advances in application of music therapy in improving cognitive impairment based on the theory of neuroplasticity.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2026Review
- Music activities that most elicit interest and pleasure among older people with mild-to-moderate dementia: a qualitative multiple-case study in Italy.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2026Article
- Progress of nursing management for delirium in critically ill geriatric patients: a narrative review.Frontiers in human neuroscience · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: Cognitive decline in aging populations presents a growing public health concern. Music therapy has emerged as a promising non-invasive approach to enhance cognitive function. Methods: This meta-analysis synthesized data from 14 studies (2010-2025) assessing Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) outcomes following music therapy interventions. Results: Results revealed a significant improvement in cognitive function (SMD = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.26 to 0.67), particularly with passive listening-based therapies administered for more than 3 months (SMD = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.05 to 1.20). Furthermore, non-RCT study designs and publications made after 2019 showed larger effects due to larger sample sizes and technological advancements. These findings support the hypothesis that auditory-based music therapy may facilitate neuroplasticity via modulation of the dopaminergic system and default mode network connectivity. The results underscore the therapeutic potential of music-based interventions as accessible, scalable, and non-invasive strategies for cognitive enhancement across diverse clinical populations. Discussion: Music therapy, especially passive listening interventions, shows significant promise for improving cognitive function in aging populations. Larger effects in recent non-RCT studies likely reflect technological advancements and improved methodologies. Future research should standardize protocols, examine long-term outcomes, and investigate the neurobiological mechanisms, particularly dopaminergic modulation and default mode network changes, to optimize therapeutic strategies and validate music therapy's role in cognitive health. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251004837, identifier PROSPERO (CRD420251004837).
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.