Neurologic Music Therapy for Parkinson's Disease

Overseen By Lucas Lattanzio, BA

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Colorado, Denver

Disqualifiers: Cerebrovascular disease, Major head trauma, Dementia, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 3 Jurisdictions This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 5 weeks

100 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if music therapy can improve fine motor skills in people with Parkinson's Disease. Participants will engage in Neurologic Music Therapy, which uses musical instruments and rhythms to enhance movement. The trial will compare this approach with Music Supported Therapy and standard Occupational Therapy to identify the most effective method. Individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease who struggle with fine motor tasks might be suitable for this study. As an unphased trial, it offers participants the chance to explore innovative therapies that could enhance their quality of life.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that your medication be stable for at least 30 days, so you should not change your current medications before or during the study.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research has shown that Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) is generally safe for people with Parkinson's Disease (PD). One study found that walking to music safely aids walking training in PD and is well-tolerated. Another study confirmed that NMT can improve movement skills without major safety issues.

For Music Supported Therapy (MST), research indicates it provides movement benefits and is safe for PD patients. These therapies use music to aid movement and are generally well-tolerated. Overall, both NMT and MST are considered safe options for people with PD. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) is unique because it uses musical instruments and auditory cues to specifically target fine motor movements in individuals with Parkinson's Disease. Unlike traditional occupational therapy, which focuses on general motor training, NMT integrates rhythm and sound to stimulate the brain areas responsible for movement control. Researchers are excited about NMT because it offers a new, non-invasive approach that can potentially enhance motor skills and improve quality of life for patients, leveraging the brain's natural response to music.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for Parkinson's Disease?

Studies have shown that Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT), one of the treatments in this trial, can significantly improve movement in people with Parkinson's Disease. Research found that NMT enhanced both walking speed and distance, which are crucial for easier mobility. This therapy uses rhythmic cues, like beats, to aid movement by bypassing affected brain areas. Music Supported Therapy (MST), another treatment option in this trial, also shows promise by using musical instruments to enhance fine motor skills. Both therapies employ rhythm and music to engage the brain, aiding movement and coordination. ^{1 2 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Isabelle Buard, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Colorado, Denver

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

Adults aged 45-85 with Parkinson's Disease, experiencing fine motor impairments, and stable on medication for at least a month can join. Excluded are those with other forms of parkinsonism, inability to move fingers or hands, involvement in other music therapy studies, lack of insurance coverage for Occupational Therapy, advanced Parkinson's (stage 4+), metal implants affecting MEG/MRI data or safety concerns, and dementia.

Inclusion Criteria

Medication stable for at least 30 days.

Diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease using the UK Brain Bank Criteria

I have difficulty with tasks that require small, precise movements.

Exclusion Criteria

I cannot move my fingers or hands.

Participants engaged in other research studies involving music therapies

My Parkinson's symptoms are not due to a stroke or major head injury.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive Neurologic Music Therapy, Music Supported Therapy, or Occupational Therapy for 5 weeks to improve fine motor movements

5 weeks

Weekly sessions

Waitlist Control

Participants in the waitlist-control condition do not receive immediate treatment and wait for 5 weeks before being randomized to receive NMT, MST, or OT

5 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in motor function and quality of life after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Music Supported Therapy
• Neurologic Music Therapy
• Occupational Therapy

Trial Overview The trial is testing Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) against Music Supported Therapy (MST) and standard Occupational Therapy (OT). It aims to see if NMT improves fine motor skills in Parkinson’s patients by using musical instruments and rhythm exercises compared to MST and OT.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Neurologic Music Therapy is a 5-week intervention using different musical instruments and auditory cues to specifically improve fine motor movements.

Group II: Occupational Therapy (OT) Active Control 1 Intervention

Standard of care occupational therapy uses traditional motor training.

Group III: Waitlist Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants assigned to the waitlist-control condition will not immediately receive services. The no-treatment duration for these participants is yoked to the amount of time their respective NMT- and OT-condition participants receive services (5 weeks). After the wait period, these participants will then be randomized to receive either NMT, MST or OT sessions.

Group IV: Music Supported Therapy (MST) Active Control 1 Intervention

Music Supported Therapy uses musical instruments to train fine motor movements.

Neurologic Music Therapy is already approved in United States, Canada, European Union for the following indications:

Approved in United States as Neurologic Music Therapy for:

• Rehabilitation for Parkinson's disease
• Stroke rehabilitation
• Traumatic brain injury rehabilitation

Approved in Canada as Neurologic Music Therapy for:

• Rehabilitation for Parkinson's disease
• Stroke rehabilitation
• Traumatic brain injury rehabilitation

Approved in European Union as Neurologic Music Therapy for:

• Rehabilitation for Parkinson's disease
• Stroke rehabilitation
• Traumatic brain injury rehabilitation

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Colorado, Denver

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,842

Recruited

3,028,000+

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

Collaborator

Trials

886

Recruited

677,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8582661/

Music Therapy and Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic ... Most studies support the efficacy of music therapy and other musical interventions for improving mood, depressive syndromes, and quality of ...

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590112525000866

Precision medicine and music therapy for Parkinson's ... Concurrently, music therapy demonstrates robust clinical benefits, with RAS producing 15–20% improvements in gait parameters and group singing programs ...

3. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37561275/

a systematic review of randomized controlled clinical trials Overall, the results showed no evidence of efficacy of music-based interventions for cognitive outcomes in PD.

4. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1679881/full

Effectiveness and applications of neurologic music therapy ... Meta-analysis showed neurologic music therapy significantly improved gait velocity (SMD = 0.70, 95% CI [0.39, 1.01], p < 0.001) and stride length (SMD = 0.63, ...

5. prc.springeropen.com prc.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s41155-023-00259-x

Effectiveness of music-based interventions for cognitive ... Overall, the results showed no evidence of efficacy of music-based interventions for cognitive outcomes in PD.

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8403394/

Randomized controlled trial of neurologic music therapy in ... Randomized controlled trial of neurologic music therapy in Parkinson's disease: research rehabilitation protocols for mechanistic and clinical investigations.

7. mdpi.com mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/7/993

Music Therapy for Gait and Speech Deficits in Parkinson's ... This study suggested that BeatWalk is an easy-to-use and safe musical application for PD patients with gait rehabilitation. In 2023, a Chinese ...

8. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590112524000483

Coupling neurologic music therapy with immersive virtual ... Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) has gained recognition for its effectiveness in neurorehabilitation of PD patients and improving motor and cognitive domains, ...