CompletedNot Applicable

Train the Brain With Music: Brain Plasticity and Cognitive Benefits Induced by Musical Practice in Elderly People

Switzerland150 participantsStarted 2018-04-01

Plain-language summary

This longitudinal study aims to countervail age-related cognitive and cerebral decline in healthy retired people through intensive piano / keyboard music practice in Switzerland and Germany.

Who can participate

Age range

64 Years – 76 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Healthy right-handed volunteers, between 64 and 76 years of age, native French speakers. No regular musical practice over the lifespan. Only retired individuals may participate. Exclusion Criteria: * Impaired/not-corrected auditory or visual accuracy, neurological diseases in the present or the past, cardiovascular diseases, excessive hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus, beginning dementia, mild cognitive impairment, clinical depression.

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Continuous Echo-Planar Imaging (EPI)

Timeframe: 18 months (4 measurements over time)

Magnetization-Prepared 2 Rapid Acquisition Gradient Echo (MP2RAGE)

Timeframe: 18 months (4 measurements over time)

functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Timeframe: 18 months (4 measurements over time)

Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Imaging (MR-DTI)

Timeframe: 18 months (4 measurements over time)

Magnetic Resonance Arterial Spin Labeling (MR-ASL)

Timeframe: 18 months (4 measurements over time)

Behavioral Battery (cognitive function)

Timeframe: 18 months (4 measurements over time)

Trial details

NCT IDNCT03674931

SponsorSchool of Health Sciences Geneva

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2021-07-31

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Age-related Cognitive Decline trials

Who can participate

Age range

64 Years – 76 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

What they're measuring

Continuous Echo-Planar Imaging (EPI)

Timeframe: 18 months (4 measurements over time)

Magnetization-Prepared 2 Rapid Acquisition Gradient Echo (MP2RAGE)

Timeframe: 18 months (4 measurements over time)

functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Timeframe: 18 months (4 measurements over time)

Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Imaging (MR-DTI)

Timeframe: 18 months (4 measurements over time)

Magnetic Resonance Arterial Spin Labeling (MR-ASL)

Timeframe: 18 months (4 measurements over time)

Behavioral Battery (cognitive function)

Timeframe: 18 months (4 measurements over time)