The effects of music therapy on improving quality of life in Huntington's Disease patients

A single-blind randomized controlled intervention trial (RCT) is proposed to test the propositions and hypotheses. Sixty (60) Patients will be randomised using centre-stratified block-permuted randomization. Patients will be allocated to the music therapy group or the control group. Both groups will receive 16 treatments. Patients are recruited from 4 long term care facilities in The Netherlands.

Huntington’s Disease (HD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative, autosomal dominant disease characterized by motor - and psychiatric disturbances, and cognitive decline. These changes often result in decline of the expressive and communicative skills, especially in the advanced stage of the disease. In practice this loss of communication results in behavior problems. Improving these skills might lead to change in behavior problems and a better quality of life. Music therapy may be a good non-pharmaceutical intervention to improve the communicative skills.

Assessments will take place within a week before the first intervention (baseline assessment), and will be repeated within a week after the 8th and again within a week after the 16th intervention. A follow up assessment wil take place 12 weeks after the last session (week 28).

Two random groups will be created.The experimental group (n = 30) will be offered a music therapy program, and the control group (n = 30) will participate in regular recreational day activities and will be offered under the exact same circumstances as the music therapy sessions. Participants from both the experimental and the control group are not allowed to receive (regular) music therapy outside the study. A total of 16 sessions once a week will be offered to both groups.