Mack Melanie, Marie Damien, Worschech Florian, Krüger Tillmann H C, Sinke Christopher, Altenmüller Eckart, James Clara E, Kliegel Matthias
Centre for the Interdisciplinary Study of Gerontology and Vulnerability, University of Geneva.
Geneva Musical Minds Lab, Geneva School of Health Sciences, HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland.
Psychol Aging. 2025 Mar;40(2):218-235. doi: 10.1037/pag0000871. Epub 2024 Dec 16.
We analyzed the data of a randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of piano practice on cognitive flexibility in healthy older adults. Participants ( = 153, 69.5 ± 3.5 years of age, 57.5% females) were randomly assigned to a piano practice group (PP) or a control group engaged in active music listening (MC). Both groups underwent a year-long intervention with weekly 60-min lessons and daily homework. We assessed switch and mixing costs in terms of speed (mean reaction times) and variability (standard deviation of reaction times) with a number switch and a perceptual switch task. We employed scale analysis based on musical instrument digital interface to assess pianistic performance. Tests were conducted at baseline, after 6 months, postintervention (12 months), and at follow-up (18 months). Results revealed more pronounced improvements in pianistic performance in the PP group compared with the MC group over the course of the intervention. Both groups exhibited gains in several cognitive flexibility outcomes, which originated primarily in the latter half of the intervention. For mixing costs of the number switch test, the PP group showed greater improvements compared with the MC group. Changes in pianistic performance were not related to changes in cognitive flexibility. Additionally, the findings indicated a compensation account in both groups, which was more pronounced in the PP group for mixing costs. This study suggests that both piano practice and active music listening-with piano practice to a higher degree-enhance cognitive flexibility, particularly in sustained control mechanisms linked to mixing costs. Both interventions potentially require longer than 6 months to induce behavioral transfer effects and are especially beneficial for individuals with lower cognitive flexibility levels. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).
我们分析了一项随机对照试验的数据，以检验钢琴练习对健康老年人认知灵活性的影响。参与者（(n = 153)，年龄(69.5 ± 3.5)岁，女性占(57.5%)）被随机分配到钢琴练习组（PP）或积极聆听音乐的对照组（MC）。两组都接受了为期一年的干预，每周有60分钟的课程和每日作业。我们通过数字转换任务和知觉转换任务，从速度（平均反应时间）和变异性（反应时间的标准差）方面评估转换和混合成本。我们采用基于乐器数字接口的量表分析来评估钢琴演奏水平。测试在基线、6个月后、干预后（12个月）和随访（18个月）时进行。结果显示，在干预过程中，PP组的钢琴演奏水平比MC组有更显著的提高。两组在几个认知灵活性指标上都有提高，这些提高主要出现在干预的后半段。在数字转换测试的混合成本方面，PP组比MC组有更大的改善。钢琴演奏水平的变化与认知灵活性的变化无关。此外，研究结果表明两组都存在补偿效应，在混合成本方面，PP组更为明显。本研究表明钢琴练习和积极聆听音乐——尤其是钢琴练习——都能提高认知灵活性，特别是在与混合成本相关的持续控制机制方面。两种干预可能都需要超过6个月的时间才能产生行为迁移效应，并且对认知灵活性水平较低的个体尤其有益。（PsycInfo数据库记录（c）2025美国心理学会，保留所有权利）
