Impact of BRAINART: A Music-Based Interactive Technology Tool on Cognition, Behavioural Symptoms, and Quality of Life of People With Cognitive Decline: A Mixed Methods Study in Italy and Switzerland

Abstract

Elderly individuals affected by neurodegenerative diseases or cerebrovascular disorders commonly exhibit a progressive decline in cognitive function, accompanied by psychiatric and neurobehavioral symptoms that may be ameliorated through the utilisation of non-pharmacological interventions. The primary aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of novel intervention approaches with technological tools for cognitive stimulation in a geriatric population experiencing cognitive impairment. Interactive cognitive stimulation activities, integrating a robust musical element, were employed not only to enhance cognitive functions but also to promote social interaction among participants. Eight Italian long-term care homes (LTCHs) and day centres, along with two facilities in Switzerland, participated in the study. Each facility was provided with an interactive table featuring serious games, available for approximately one month. Subjects voluntarily engaged in group-based stimulation sessions comprising two to four individuals. A total of 25 health assistants and 110 subjects with cognitive impairment took part in the study. Overall, there was a significant improvement in participants’ QUALID scores upon completion of the study (t = 2.9191; df = 99; p < 0.005). Interestingly, individuals who attended a greater number of sessions exhibited more pronounced psychiatric and behavioural symptoms, as well as lower quality of life scores at both the beginning (T0) and end (T1) of the trial. It is important to note that this study was not a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and participant recruitment was based on voluntary participation without strict inclusion criteria for ensuring proper randomization. This pioneering approach demonstrates the capacity to synergistically enhance conventional methods of cognitive stimulation and socialization for elderly individuals with cognitive impairment.

Keywords

• cognitive impairment
• neurodegenerative diseases
• cerebrovascular disorders
• serious games
• technological device
• older adults