{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,22]],"date-time":"2026-09-22T21:01:20Z","timestamp":1790110880490,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":54,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,8]],"date-time":"2026-01-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767830400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Cognitive decline in aging populations presents a growing public health concern. Music therapy has emerged as a promising non-invasive approach to enhance cognitive function.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This meta-analysis synthesized data from 14 studies (2010\u20132025) assessing Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) outcomes following music therapy interventions.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Results revealed a significant improvement in cognitive function (SMD = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.26 to 0.67), particularly with passive listening-based therapies administered for more than 3 months (SMD = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.05 to 1.20). Furthermore, non-RCT study designs and publications made after 2019 showed larger effects due to larger sample sizes and technological advancements. These findings support the hypothesis that auditory-based music therapy may facilitate neuroplasticity via modulation of the dopaminergic system and default mode network connectivity. The results underscore the therapeutic potential of music-based interventions as accessible, scalable, and non-invasive strategies for cognitive enhancement across diverse clinical populations.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Music therapy, especially passive listening interventions, shows significant promise for improving cognitive function in aging populations. Larger effects in recent non-RCT studies likely reflect technological advancements and improved methodologies. Future research should standardize protocols, examine long-term outcomes, and investigate the neurobiological mechanisms, particularly dopaminergic modulation and default mode network changes, to optimize therapeutic strategies and validate music therapy\u2019s role in cognitive health.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Systematic review registration<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      <jats:ext-link>https:\/\/www.crd.york.ac.uk\/PROSPERO\/view\/CRD420251004837<\/jats:ext-link>\n                      , identifier PROSPERO (CRD420251004837).\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  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