Document Type

Poster

Associated Faculty

Dr. Valerie Herbert

Sponsoring Academic Department

School of Nursing

Publication Date

2024

Abstract/ Summary

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disorder associated with the gradual deterioration of brain cells, detrimentally affecting an individual’s core memory, speech, and performance in activities of daily living. Currently, there is no cure for this condition, but the symptoms can be managed through different routes. Due to the cognitive deficits, patients with Alzheimer’s disease experience episodes of agitation. This behavior has been previously treated with pharmacological therapy, which shows a correlation to long-term adverse effects. This information proposes the question: In older adults with a diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease, does music therapy decrease agitation episodes compared to pharmacological therapies? A literature search was conducted utilizing CINAHL and Nursing Reference Center Plus with the following keywords: music therapy, music intervention, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, agitation, aggression, behavior, pharmacological therapy. Through this process, thirteen sources were compatible with the inclusion criteria. Articles published before 2018 and those without reference to pharmacological and musical therapies fulfilled the exclusion criteria. The evidence found in the literature suggests there are marked benefits to music therapy in reducing agitation and improving overall well-being, while only some articles discuss the downsides of pharmacological therapies. One limitation of this review was a gap in resources surrounding the harmful and extrapyramidal effects pharmacological treatment poses on Alzheimer’s patients specifically because most research attributes neurologic disorders in general. Another limitation was finding sources within the past five years' inclusion criterion. Based on the research, music therapy yielded significant positive results for reducing agitation in patients and reducing caregiver burnout.

Version

pre-print (i.e. pre-refereeing)

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