# Music-based Intervention for Insomnia in Persons Living with Dementia and their Caregivers

> **NIH NIH K23** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $184,690

## Abstract

Project Summary
Insomnia symptoms (i.e., difficulty initiating sleep, maintaining sleep) in persons living with Alzheimer’s
Disease and related Dementias are debilitating and contribute to increased institutionalization, reduced
cognitive function and accelerated disease progression. Furthermore, insomnia disruption is linked to poor
health outcomes in caregivers, such as poor quality of life and increased burden. Given the potential harmful
side effects of pharmacologic treatment, non-pharmacologic approaches, such as music, may provide a safer
alternative to improving insomnia symptoms. Music interventions are particularly promising because long-term
memory for music remains relatively preserved in Alzheimer’s Disease and related Dementias - even in the
moderate stage of the disease. Prior studies of music interventions to improve sleep in older adults were
conducted with persons without Alzheimer’s Disease and related Dementias in primarily Caucasian older
adults. Thus, the evidence for tailored music interventions to improve sleep in underrepresented community-
dwelling persons living with dementia (PLWD) and their caregivers is lacking. In a pilot study (funded by the
NIA, F32AG060630) the applicant has examined the feasibility of one component of the proposed music-based
intervention in PLWD and their caregivers and identified opportunities to improve the delivery of the
intervention. The purpose of this K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award is to
provide her with the expertise necessary to initiate a successful and independent program of research – with
the ultimate goal to improve sleep and behavioral symptoms in PLWD and their caregivers using music-based
approaches. The specific aims of this proposal are to: i) build and iteratively refine the prototype of the mobile
application, entitled, “Calming Music Personalized for Sleep Enhancement in PeRsons living with Dementia”
(CoMPoSER) for use among PLWD and their caregivers; ii) in a pilot RCT examine its acceptability; and iii)
efficacy. The development of the intervention will be guided by the input from stakeholders, including PLWD
and their caregivers. Seventy-two dyads will be randomized to either the 4-week CoMPoSER intervention or
sleep education group. Music selections will be tailored to PLWD and account for known sleep-inducing
properties. Acceptability will be examined using survey and qualitative data. The effects of the intervention on
PLWD and caregiver outcomes will be determined using objective (actigraphy) and subjective (proxy reported)
measures. Under the guidance of the mentoring team, the applicant has carefully constructed research training
activities to gain knowledge and expertise in four core areas: i) user-centered design of mobile application
technology, ii) behavioral intervention development, iii) Community-based Participatory Research, and iv)
behavioral research methods, including measurement, analysis and dissemination of clinical t...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11082035
- **Project number:** 7K23AG073618-04
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Darina V. Petrovsky
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $184,690
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 2021-09-01 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11082035

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11082035, Music-based Intervention for Insomnia in Persons Living with Dementia and their Caregivers (7K23AG073618-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11082035. Licensed CC0.

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