Music Listening for Mental Health Recovery After Stroke

Part of paid clinical trials in New York, New York.

Sponsor
New York University
Study ID
NCT07127159
Status
Recruiting
Apply to this trial

Conditions

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
50 Years - 90 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Intentional Music Listening — BEHAVIORAL
    Participants will receive an iPad with Spotify (for music listening) and FaceTime. For 4 weeks (excluding weekends; 20 sessions), participants will listen to music for one hour per session, without multitasking (e.g., no chores or cooking), and will be encouraged to listen attentively. The investigators will collaborate with each participant to co-create a personalized playlist composed of self-selected, culturally relevant songs. This playlist can be updated at any time by the participant, either independently or with assistance from the team. During the music-listening session, participants will be on FaceTime with a team member, who will be available to provide support as needed. A custom Python script will continuously track the songs played by participants through Spotify, logging playback activity for research purposes.
  • Audiobook Listening — BEHAVIORAL
    Participants will be provided with an iPad equipped with a Spotify (for audiobook listening) and FaceTime. For 4 weeks (excluding weekends; 20 sessions), participants will be asked to listen to an audiobook of their choice for one hour per session, without engaging in other activities such as chores or cooking. Participants will be instructed to listen attentively and avoid multitasking during the session. A team member will connect with each participant via FaceTime to offer support. Participants may update or change their audiobook selections at any time, either independently or with help from the team. A custom Python script will be used to continuously track audiobook playback activity for research and analysis.

Study Details

This study aims to explore whether listening to music intentionally can support the mental health of people recovering from a stroke. The question the investigators aim to answer is: Can intentional music listening improve emotional well-being in stroke survivors? And if so, what kinds of changes might music listening induce in mental health, thinking and memory (cognition), and brain activity? Participants will be randomly assigned to listen to either music or an audiobook for one hour each day, at home, for four weeks. Participants will also attend four in-person sessions with the researchers: at the start of the study (baseline), just before the listening period begins, after the four weeks are complete, and at a follow-up. During these visits, researchers will gather information about participants' mood and mental health (via questionnaires), assess memory and attention (via cognitive tasks), and use MRI scans to look at brain activity.

Key Dates

Start date
Jul 1, 2025
Status verified
Aug 2025
Primary completion
Sep 30, 2026
Completion
Sep 30, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment
60 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: Intentional Music Listening
    Stroke patients assigned to the Intentional Music Listening group will participate in a 4-week intervention, in which participants will engage in one hour of music listening per day and complete daily self-reports on mood and control measures. Baseline, pre-, and post-intervention evaluations will assess clinical outcomes through behavioral measures of mental health and cognition. Pre- and post-intervention evaluations will also include biomarker assessments (MRI and physiological measures). The follow-up session will assess clinical outcomes only.
  • Active Comparator: Audiobook Listening
    Stroke patients assigned to the Audiobook Listening group will participate in a 4-week intervention, in which participants will engage in one hour of audiobook listening per day and complete daily self-reports on mood and control measures. Baseline, pre-, and post-intervention evaluations will assess clinical outcomes through behavioral measures of mental health and cognition. Pre- and post-intervention evaluations will also include biomarker assessments (MRI and physiological measures). The follow-up session will assess clinical outcomes only.

Primary Outcome Measure

Burden (Completion of evaluation sessions) [ Time Frame: From baseline to follow-up (3 months post-intervention) ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
New York UniversityNew YorkNew York10003
Pablo Ripolles, PhD
[email protected]
212-998-5424
Pablo Ripolles, PhD (PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR)

Find similar trials in New York, NY

By condition
Stroke
By specialty
NeurologyBrain disorders
By research site
New York University· New York, NY

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