Music Listening and Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment
How do different listening activities impact agitation and anxiety in older adults with cognitive impairment? This research study looks at the impact of music and audiobook listening on the management of agitation and anxiety associated with dementia and cognitive impairment in older adults between ages 65-85. Participants and their caregivers listen to either music or audiobooks via a tablet and headphones at home four times per week, each time 30 minutes long for a total of 8 weeks. We collect measures assessing emotional and cognitive wellbeing before and after each listening session, as well as before and after the 8 week listening period.
The Aging Minds Project
The USC Aging Minds Project is an NEA funded research lab investigating the effects of participation in music based activities on the aging mind. The current study compares choral singing with music listening and appreciation on hearing abilities, cognitive skills, and social wellbeing of older adults. Our aim is to understand how these activities impact adults aged 65 and above. Participants take part in 20 weeks of free music classes and participate in measurements of EEG, hearing abilities, and wellbeing measurements before and after the intervention period.
This project was supported in part by an award from the NEA Research Labs program at the National Endowment for the Arts: Award# 1925688-38-24. The opinions expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not represent the views of the National Endowment for the Arts. The National Endowment for the Arts does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information included in this material and is not responsible for any consequence of its use.
Music Training and Child Development
What effects does systematic music training have on children throughout development? What mechanism underlies such effects? Our program aims to understand the effects of instrumental music training on children’s socioemotional, cognitive, and functional and structural brain development. To assess the effects of music training on child development, we study children prior to the start of music training and follow them thereafter using psychometric evaluations of socioemotional and cognitive functioning, EEG, and fMRI. We hope these investigations will lead to a better understanding of the effects of music training on child development, and provide insights into the role of music education in the childhood curricula.
The Role of Singing in Social and Emotional Growth
This study explores how singing and opera education can support children’s social and emotional development. In partnership with the LA Opera and the Los Angeles Children’s Choir, we are examining whether participating in a structured music program helps children improve skills like empathy, perspective-taking, and cognitive abilities. Over the course of a year, children ages 7–11 will take part in choir training, opera listening sessions, and live performances. They will be assessed at the start and end of the program to measure changes in their thinking and social skills. In a second phase, we will use brain imaging to better understand how music influences brain development. This research aims to highlight the benefits of musical engagement and its potential for supporting children’s growth and well-being.
Extracurricular Activity and Child Early Learning Development
In 2022, we began the EXCEL Study to explore the effects of different after-school programs on child brain development. Over a hundred children aged 6-8 in Los Angeles were randomly enrolled in either a theatre program at 24th Street Theatre or a music program at Colburn Community School to help cultivate different artistic and creative skills. These children will be enrolled in their after-school program for two full years. Data collection is currently ongoing, but by collecting cognitive and fMRI measures we hope to clarify how self-control and decision-making change before and after each program. In addition, we hope to create a successful protocol of tracking kid’s after school arts programming that can be replicated and expanded upon by future researchers to continue to encourage research on the impact of the arts on child development.
Music and Nostalgia Across the Lifespan
Anecdotal evidence for the preservation of music-evoked autobiographical memories in dementia suggests that musical pieces may temporarily “unlock” an individual with otherwise apparent memory impairment. This project seeks to understand how personally-meaningful music elicits nostalgia and autobiographical memory in younger and older adults, with future applications for individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias. We utilize functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), behavioral memory assessments, and machine-learning music-personalization tools to assess the neural and behavioral basis of how music elicits nostalgia, an emotional state underlying autobiographical memories.
Drumming, Social Bonding, and Group Identity
This study aims to assess the relationship between group identity and interpersonal entrainment and determine the efficacy of group entrainment to reduce divides and improve pro-sociality between individuals in disparate groups. We study this by having participants from disparate group perform rhythmic drumming tasks with one another, and then assess their ingroup/outgroup bias, identity perception, cooperation, and empathy towards those from outside their group. In addition, we are curious to determine if higher accuracy in their synchronous drumming is associated with larger changed with personal identity and pro sociality.
