Music and Movement Synchronization in People with Dementia
Résumé
Sensorimotor synchronization to music in patients with dementia (PWD) seems to induce
pleasure and nonverbal communication. This effect could explain the efficacy of music-based
interventions on well-being and emotional state. However, very little is known about the impact
of auditory and human contexts on synchronization in PWD. For this purpose, tapping in
synchronization to music and metronomic sequences in interaction with an experimenter who
was either physically or virtually (video) present was recorded in a group of 34 PWD. As
predicted, responses were more accurate and consistent with metronomic than with music
sequences and in presence of a real rather than of a virtual person. Moreover, there was an
interaction between auditory and human variables. Whereas the manipulation of human context
did not affect synchronization to metronomic sequences, synchronization to music improved in
presence of a real as compared to a virtual person. These findings suggest that the physical
presence of another person is more efficient than a video presentation to boost synchronization
to music highlighting the importance of inter-personal communication during musical
interventions in PWD.