Efficacy of music therapy on mild cognitive impairment in the aging population: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Mild cognitive impairment represents an intermediate stage between normal aging and dementia, affecting memory, executive function, and daily living in older adults. This meta-analysis was conducted to assess the efficacy of music therapy on cognitive and neuropsychological outcomes in older individuals with mild cognitive impairment. METHODS: Searches of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wan Fang databases from inception to December 30, 2024. Standardized mean differences for mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scores, comparing older adults with mild cognitive impairment to control groups, were pooled using a fixed-effect model. Publication bias was assessed by inspecting funnel plot symmetry and conducting Egger regression test. RESULTS: A total of 8 studies were included in our study. A fixed effects model was used to pool the data because the heterogeneity tests indicated a low degree of heterogeneity (I2 = 42.6%, P = .094). The results indicated an increased MMSE score in the patients with music therapy than the control group (SMD = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.37-0.78; P < .001).Funnel plots and Egger test revealed no significant evidence of publication bias. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis suggests that music therapy can improve cognitive outcomes in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.