Effects of Binaural Beats and Spatialized Music on Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia in Assisted Living Facility Residents
Effects of Binaural Beats and Spatialized Music on Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia in Assisted Living Facility Residents: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Protocol
Who can join
Ages 55 to 95 · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * (1) age 55-95 years; (2) the subject and/or his/her legal guardian have signed written informed consent; (3) the subject is able to complete the entire trial period; and (4) a minimum of fifty percent of the subjects will have a diagnosis of a dementia condition with a moderate to severe progression. Exclusion Criteria: * (1) profound hearing loss or impairment; (2) history of seizures, epilepsy (especially sound-induced epilepsy), claustrophobia, or other conditions that put the subject at risk during the trial; (3) physical or mental conditions that may result in inability to complete and/or affect the efficacy of assessment.
About the study
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of Binaural Beat Music (BBM; personalized music playlist with binaural beats), Spatialized Music (SM; personalized and spatialized music playlist), their combination, and possible interaction on older adults in an assisted living community who are either living with a dementia diagnosis or are experiencing typical age-related changes. The control condition is a personalized music playlist without binaural beats and spatialization. It is hypothesized that BBM, SM, and their combination each improve aspects of BPSD compared to controls over a two-week intervention period.
The Specific Aims of the study are (1) to evaluate whether BBM, SM, and/or their combination is superior to control in reducing BPSD severity (primary outcome); (2) to evaluate whether BBM, SM, and/or their combination is superior to control in reducing caregiver distress (secondary outcomes); and (3) to evaluate the effects of BBM, SM, and/or their combination on improving overall well-being and mood (secondary outcomes).
What is being tested
- Personalized Music Listening (PML) (other)
- Binaural Beat Music (BBM) (other)
- Spatialized Music (SM) (other)
Sponsor: Maharishi International University · Participants: 120 · Started: May 4, 2026
Contact the study team
- Paul Oomen, MMus · Phone: +36203980356
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07626944
Locations in the U.S.
| Colorado | Woodland Estates Senior Living, Denver Woodlake Legacy Senior Living, Lakewood |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.