The impact of music therapy on agitation in elderly patients with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Journal
Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics
Year
2026
Abstract
Agitation impacts 50 - 80 % of elderly dementia patients, imposing burdens on caregivers and healthcare systems. Pharmacological treatments are limited, whereas non-pharmacological music therapy (MT) holds promise. This study sought to evaluate MT's efficacy in alleviating agitation. A thorough search across multiple databases was carried out, incorporating 14 studies (10 RCTs, 4 pre-post trials; n = 847). Meta-analysis demonstrated that MT significantly reduced agitation with a moderate effect size (d = 0.42). Subgroup analyses yielded consistent findings. Heterogeneity was low, and publication bias was negligible. MT effectively mitigated agitation in dementia patients despite heterogeneity in aspects like music duration and genre, underscoring its generalizability, particularly in resource-constrained areas and households lacking professional nursing support. It offers evidence for integrating MT into patient care. The review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD420251033860).
Music and Health Institute Terms
Neurodegenerative Disorders; Alzheimer's and Related Dementias; Elderly; Agitation; Music Therapy; Receptive Music Methods; Recreative Music Methods; Observational Measures
Indexed Terms
Elderly; Agitation; Behavioral symptoms; Dementia; Meta-analysis; Psychomotor Agitation
Study Type
Systematic Review; Quantitative Methods
PubMed ID
PMID: 41046571
Document Type
Article
Recommended Citation
Hu, J., & Xu, L. (2026). The impact of music therapy on agitation in elderly patients with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 140, 106048. Retrieved from https://remix.berklee.edu/mhi-citations/1835