Train the brain with music (TBM): brain plasticity and cognitive benefits induced by musical training in elderly people in Germany and Switzerland, a study protocol for an RCT comparing musical instrumental practice to sensitization to music

James, Clara E.; Altenmüller, Eckart; Kliegel, Matthias; Krüger, Tillmann H. C.; Van De Ville, Dimitri; Worschech, Florian; Abdili, Laura; Scholz, Daniel S.; Jünemann, Kristin; Hering, Alexandra; Grouiller, Frédéric; Sinke, Christopher; Marié, Damien · 2020 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1186/s12877-020-01761-y

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Summary

This document is a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (RCT) titled "Train the brain with music (TBM)," designed to investigate whether musical instrumental training can induce brain plasticity and cognitive benefits in elderly individuals. The research is motivated by the need to develop effective, intrinsically motivating interventions that delay or reverse age-related cognitive and cerebral decline. While previous studies suggest musical practice may prevent cognitive deterioration, experimental evidence regarding its neurophysiological bases remains sparse. The study aims to demonstrate that piano practice can countervail decline in faculties such as executive functions, working memory, processing speed, and fine motor skills, while also promoting subjective well-being. The study employs a two-site longitudinal design conducted in Hannover, Germany, and Geneva, Switzerland, involving approximately 155 retired, healthy elderly participants aged 64 to 78. Participants are randomly assigned to either an experimental group receiving piano instruction or an active control group receiving musical listening awareness training. Both groups undergo weekly one-hour sessions for 12 months, supplemented by approximately 30 minutes of daily home practice. The protocol utilizes a stratified randomized design to balance groups based on age, gender, socioeconomic status, and baseline cognitive scores. Data collection occurs at four time points: baseline, 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months post-training. Assessments include a comprehensive behavioral test battery measuring cognitive, perceptual-motor, and auditory aptitudes, alongside multimodal neuroimaging (functional and structural MRI, including voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging) and blood sampling for genetic and epigenetic analysis. The researchers hypothesize that the piano group will exhibit significant positive transfer effects on executive functions, working memory, processing speed, abstract thinking, and bimanual coordination, compared to the control group. They anticipate that these behavioral improvements will be supported by functional and structural brain plasticity in temporal, prefrontal, and parietal areas, as well as the basal ganglia and hippocampus. The control group is expected to show benefits in verbal memory, hearing in noise, and subjective well-being, with more moderate cerebral plasticity in auditory and emotion regulation areas. The study seeks to provide the first evidence linking musical activities to societal impacts by diminishing cognitive decline through measurable brain plasticity. The significance of this research lies in its potential to inform public health policies regarding healthy aging. If the hypotheses are confirmed, the findings could support the systematic implementation of government-funded musical practice facilities in elderly care centers and nursing homes. By combining rigorous behavioral testing with advanced neuroimaging and biological markers, the study aims to establish a causal link between musical training and neuroprotection, offering a scalable, engaging intervention for maintaining independence and autonomy in older adults.

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