Music for Cognitive Health Study

This study aims to investigate the neurophysiological effects of live music on individuals with early Alzheimer's Disease (AD), dementia, and/or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and their caregivers. Heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and brain activity will be measured as participant-caregiver dyads listen to preferred and improvised music performed by professional musicians. We will leverage various measurement techniques including, but not limited to, electroencephalography (EEG), behavioral, surveys, and physiological monitoring to study the impact of live music on anxiety in AD and inter-dyad synchrony. Descriptive Statistics will be used to characterize data (mean scores, variance of scores, etc.). Analysis of variance (ANOVAs) will be used to assess differences in baseline versus measurements captured at landmark time periods specific to each investigation. Analyses of EEG and heart rate values will employ Power Spectral Density, Event-Related Potentials, Topographic Maps, Wavelet Coherence, and other methods. Analysis of recordings captured during live concerts will be conducted using music information retrieval, pulse clarity, psychological ethnography, and similar methods. We hypothesize that live music will reduce anxiety, increase social motivation, elevate parasympathetic activity, and enhance neural synchrony yielding increased interpersonal coordination, harmony, and emotional connection within dyads, indicating a positive impact on their autonomic nervous system and emotional well-being.

• A Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) score from 0.5 to 2
• Familial caregiver willing to participate
• Availability on selected afternoons in May, June, and July 2025
• Availability to attend a live music performance and a pre-recorded session (availability for both study dates required) at Firehouse 12 Studios (45 Crown St, New Haven, CT 06510)