SynthesisFrontiers in psychology2026
Global trends, research hotspots, and clinical evidence mapping of music therapy interventions for cognitive impairment: a bibliometric and visualization analysis from 2006 to 2026.
Synthesis in Frontiers in psychology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
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Abstract
Background: Cognitive impairment is an important public health issue in ageing societies. Music therapy, as a safe and accessible non-pharmacological intervention, has been increasingly used in the management of cognitive impairment. However, the overall research pattern, evolution of research hotspots, and features of clinical evidence in this field have not been systematically reviewed. This study aimed to analyze the current status, major topics, and development trends of research on music therapy interventions for cognitive impairment from 2006 to 2026. Methods: A stratified multi-database search strategy was used. The Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) served as the main data source. Bibliometric and visualization analyses were performed using Bibliometrix, CiteSpace, and VOSviewer. The Scopus database was also used to cross-validate key findings. In addition, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) retrieved from PubMed were analyzed to further assess the clinical evidence base. Results: A total of 835 publications were included from WoSCC. From 2006 to 2025, the annual number of publications increased steadily, with an average annual growth rate of 13.35%. The publication output reached its peak in 2025, and the exponential model showed a good fit to the growth trend ( Conclusion: Research on music therapy interventions for cognitive impairment has shown continuous growth. Core topics mainly involve cognitive function, behavioral symptoms, quality of life, and care support. Mechanistic studies, especially those related to neuroplasticity, have become an important research frontier. Future studies should place greater emphasis on high-quality clinical research, clarify the mechanisms of music therapy, and promote its precise application and clinical translation.
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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.