# Following the Sound of Music - Comparing the Effects of Music vs. Non-Music Based Interventions on Auditory and Cognitive Processing in Older Adults

> **NIH NIH R61** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE · 2021 · $536,208

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The overall objective of the proposed work is to test the benefits of a music-based intervention on speech-in-
competition abilities in an older adult population that includes individuals that may be at risk of Alzheimer's
disease and related dementias (ADRD). Age-related hearing difficulties are prevalent, with speech-in-
competition difficulties being a common challenge amongst older adults. Critically, these difficulties and
frustrations often lead to social isolation and decreased cognitive engagement, and they are associated with an
increased risk of developing ADRD. There is evidence suggesting that musical training is associated with
cognitive advantages in older adults, including preserved ability for speech-in-competition. However, to date,
there is extremely limited knowledge and lack of experimental evidence explaining how music might benefit
speech-in-competition abilities, along with more basic auditory processes and/or cognitive functions. We aim to
contribute to uncovering the underlying mechanisms driving the potential effects of music and attention through
an innovative, attention-based music listening intervention that cultivates auditory and attentional skills akin to
those developed during formal instrumental training. To disentangle potential effects of music and attention and
to get at the underlying mechanisms of music effects, we will compare outcomes of this attention-based music
intervention with those of two active control interventions that consist of either passive music listening or active
listening to non-music sounds. Specific aims are to develop and test the feasibility of music and control
interventions and assessments targeting auditory processing and cognition (R61; Aim 1); test for intervention-
specific improvements in speech-in-competition using a randomized-controlled trial (R33; Aim 2); and determine
whether experimental and control interventions differentially impact measures of auditory processing, memory,
and attention, and test how these may mediate performance on measures of speech-in-competition (R33; Aim
3). Long-term objectives are to understand the key mechanisms underlying the benefits of music with the overall
goal to inform interventions aimed at mitigating the effects of ADRD. This proposal is transformative in that it
utilizes an innovative approach to uncover potential benefits and underlying mechanisms of music by testing the
added benefits of interventions and testing their benefits against a broad set of outcomes measures that can be
used to further understand the malleability of auditory processes and cognition in aging. In addition, the
intervention is cost-effective, easily administrable, and accessible to individuals who may not possess the
physical capabilities or resources that formal instrumental practice demands. In addition, music has been shown
to provide other benefits including mood regulation and psychological well-being, and as such, the intervention
may have...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10273909
- **Project number:** 1R61AG073668-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Susanne M Jaeggi
- **Activity code:** R61 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $536,208
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-30 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10273909

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10273909, Following the Sound of Music - Comparing the Effects of Music vs. Non-Music Based Interventions on Auditory and Cognitive Processing in Older Adults (1R61AG073668-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10273909. Licensed CC0.

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