Multimodal Musical Stimulation for Healthy Neurocognitive Aging
Northeastern University
Summary
This is a Stage I randomized, sham-controlled trial on the effects of multimodal musical stimulation on working memory in aging. Neurologically healthy older and younger adults will be tested on working memory and electroencephalography in the first randomized controlled trial of music as a form of brain stimulation, with multimodal musical stimulation and control stimulation conditions. Results will test the causal role of oscillatory mechanisms of the brain on cognition, and will lay the groundwork to the first musical, neurophysiologically targeted, brain-stimulation device for reversing cognitive decline in aging.
Description
Music contains amplitude and frequency modulations, rapid changes in acoustic signals that convey meaningful information to the listener. The human brain's ability to receive and interpret meaning from these signals is implemented by networks of neural oscillations: firing patterns of groups of neurons that track the music with rhythmic activity. Neural oscillations in different frequency bands subserve attention and memory, as well as perception and comprehension; they develop over the lifespan and are reduced in aging, especially in dementia. Being able to understand and causally control neu…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18–95 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * normal or corrected-to-normal vision * no more than mild hearing loss * no recent history of neurological or psychiatric disorders, including mood disorders or use of medications that may affect cognition or responsiveness to music. Exclusion Criteria: * moderate or severe hearing loss (40+ dB) * visual impairment (including color blindness) that cannot be corrected with glasses or contacts * recently changed dosage of cholinesterase inhibitors or psychotropic medication * recent history of psychotic or schizophrenic episodes * major neurologic diagnosis or other condi…
Interventions
- DeviceGamma
For the OAg group, the visual component of multimodal stimulation will have the same properties as for the other group, except it will also be additionally amplitude-modulated in the gamma-band (30-60 Hz) range, resulting in a detectable flicker over-and-above the beat-level modulation.
- DeviceSynchrony
For the OA group, the lights will be tuned to delta-band frequencies (1-4 Hz) in the music, which corresponds to the beat-level frequency in most music. Thus, the lights automatically adapt to the rhythm of the music, pulsing on the beat and changing color on strong beats.
Location
- Northeastern UniversityBoston, Massachusetts