Association between upper limb movements during drumming and cognition in older adults with cognitive impairment and dementia at a nursing home: a pilot study.
Atsuko Miyazaki, Yuichi Ito, Takashi Okuyama and 6 others
PMID 37347105WHAT IT FOUND
In 16 older adults with dementia, the height their arm reached while drumming correlated with both handgrip strength and MMSE scores.
This suggests arm elevation during drumming may help assess motor function and cognitive status when standard tests are difficult.
Key findings
01Average arm elevation angle during drumming correlated significantly with MMSE scores.
02Average arm elevation angle during drumming tended to correlate with handgrip strength.
03A model combining handgrip strength and arm elevation angle during drumming explained cognitive function better than other indicators.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Very small sample size (n=16) limits generalizability. No information on specific dementia types or lesion locations. Did not measure rhythmic ability or musical experience, which could influence movement. Cross-sectional design; cannot determine if drumming movements cause or result from cognitive decline. Three participants were excluded due to device errors, introducing potential bias.
Declared interests
The study was supported by a grant from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). No other conflicts of interest were reported.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume drumming improves cognition or motor function. This study only shows an association between arm movement during drumming and existing cognitive scores. It is a pilot study with a tiny sample, so these findings are not yet evidence for clinical use.