AUTHOR=Wang Xueyan , Soshi Takahiro , Yamashita Masatoshi , Kakihara Marcelo , Tsutsumi Takanobu , Iwasaki Shoko , Sekiyama Kaoru 

TITLE=Effects of a 10-week musical instrument training on cognitive function in healthy older adults: implications for desirable tests and period of training

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

VOLUME=Volume 15 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2023.1180259

DOI=10.3389/fnagi.2023.1180259

ISSN=1663-4365

ABSTRACT=Previous studies have shown that musical instrument training programs of 16 or more weeks improve verbal memory (Logical Memory Test delayed recall), processing speed (Digit Symbol Coding Test), and executive function (Trail Making Test Part B) of musically untrained healthy older adults. However, it is unclear whether shorter-period instrument training can yield similar effects. We sought to (1) verify those results and (2) clarify if intervention effects could be detected using other measures such as reaction time. 
Healthy older adults (mean age = 73.28 years) were pseudo-randomly assigned to an untrained control group (n = 30) or an intervention group (n = 30) that received a weekly 10-session musical instrument training program (using melodica). We conducted neuropsychological tests on which intervention effects or association with musical training were reported in previous studies. We newly included two reaction time tasks to assess verbal working memory (Sternberg task) and rhythm entrainment (timing task). Intervention effects were determined using a ‘group × time’ analysis of variance (ANOVA). 
The intervention effects were detected significant on phonological verbal fluency and marginally significant on reaction time in the Sternberg task, but not on Logical Memory Test, Digit Symbol Coding Test, or Trail Making Test. Although intervention effects had been reported on these three tests in previous studies with longer training periods, the present study did not detect the effect. Instead, the test-retest practice effect, indicated by significant improvement in the control group, was significant on these tests; such effects may be due to the shorter interval between pre- and post-intervention assessments and may have obscured intervention effects. The present results indicated the usefulness of working memory assessments (Verbal Fluency Test and Sternberg task) in detecting the effects of short-term melodica training in healthy older adults. Additionally, the findings suggested the requirement for an extended interval between pre- and post-tests to capture rigorous intervention effects, although this should be justified by a manipulation of training period.