Music for Pain and Dementia

This study aims to provide mechanistic insights into how group drumming as a music-based intervention (MBI) affects pain responses and nociceptive function in individuals with Alzheimer's Disease (AD), mild dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and brain activity will be measured during communal drumming with their dyadic partners and others. Brain activity, blood pressure, cognitive abilities, blood hormone levels, and static and dynamic pain will also be measured during sessions pre and post the 8-week community drum circle. Investigators will leverage various measurement techniques including, but not limited to, electroencephalography (EEG), quantitative sensory testing (QST), behavioral, surveys, and physiological monitoring to study the impact of group drumming on pain and brain activity in AD and inter-dyad synchrony.

NCT Number	NCT07602283
Lead Sponsor	Yale University Collaborators: Renée Fleming Foundation, Howard University, NeuroArts Blueprint Initiative, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
Conditions	Alzheimer Disease, Dementia, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Peer-bonded Caregiver, Caregiver
Enrollment	60 participants
Start Date	2026-06-09
Primary Completion	2027-08-01 (estimated)
Study Completion	2028-02-01 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-06-12