Understanding how music helps people with dementia
Research Network to Accelerate Mechanistic Studies of Music for Dementia (RN-MusD)
A national network is using music-based programs to help people living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias feel better, support memory, and improve daily life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11177034 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be part of efforts where researchers at multiple centers share tools and common plans to test music activities for people with dementia. Teams will run coordinated studies that combine listening, singing, or personalized playlists with measurements of mood, thinking, and brain or biological signals. The network aims to include diverse communities and make music approaches that fit different cultures and care settings. Results will be used to create practical music programs families and care teams can use.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Older adults living with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias (often age 65 and older) and their caregivers are the main people who would be invited to participate.
Not a fit: People without dementia, or those with severe hearing impairment or medical conditions that prevent participation in music activities, are less likely to benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce low-cost, culturally relevant music programs that improve mood, memory, and quality of life for people living with dementia.
How similar studies have performed: Previous music-therapy and music-based intervention studies have shown improvements in mood and quality of life for people with dementia, but the exact brain and biological mechanisms remain under study.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Johnson, Julene K — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Johnson, Julene K
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.