Personalized, Music-Based Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation for Exercise Promotion of Older Adults - Research Findings

Q: What is the main goal of the study?

To evaluate whether personalized, music-based rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) can increase MVPA in low-active older adults over 6 months.

Q: How were participants assigned to the exercise conditions?

Older adults were randomized into an exercise-only group (EX) or an exercise-with-RAS group (MEX), while both received identical aerobic and strength training.

Q: What outcome measure was used to track physical activity?

Weekly MVPA volume was assessed with a waist-worn triaxial accelerometer for 7 days at baseline and on a monthly basis.

Sep 28, 2026

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Older adults’ low moderate-to-vigorous physical activity level presents a public health crisis. This clinical trial tested personalized, music-based rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) to improve weekly MVPA over 6 months in low-active community-dwelling older adults (N=59, mean age 70.4). Participants were randomized to exercise only (EX) or exercise with RAS (MEX) while receiving identical aerobic and strength training with supervised session tapering. MVPA was measured using a waist-worn triaxial accelerometer over 7 days at baseline and monthly. MVPA followed a nonlinear trajectory; MEX showed higher MVPA in months 1–2, then a faster decline and distinct cubic change versus EX.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Study Aim

Participants and Randomization

Intervention and Training Schedule

MVPA Measurement

Results and Interpretation

MVPA Trajectory Over Time

Between-Group Differences

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 1317 College, Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, 4. Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, United States Older adults’ low rate of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) poses a public health crisis. This clinical trial (NCT06496425, NCT06364189) aimed to test the effects of personalized, music-based rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) on MVPA over 6 months in older adults. Community-dwelling, low-active older adults (N = 59, Age=70.4±4.4 years, 81% female) were randomized into exercise only (EX) or exercise with RAS (MEX) groups. Both groups received an identical exercise program with aerobic and strength training over 6 months with bimonthly decreases in supervised group sessions from 3 to 1, then 0 days/week. The MEX group was trained to exercise in sync with the tempo of RAS. Weekly MVPA volume was assessed using a waist-worn triaxial accelerometer for 7 days at baseline and on a monthly basis. The data were fitted to a nonlinear mixed-effects model while controlling for covariates (age, sex, race, body mass index) . Results indicate that MVPA followed anonlinear trajectory over time with a significant quadratic effect (p<.001), indicating MVPA increased in the initial months with supervision and decreased during the unsupervised months in both groups. The MEX group had higher MVPA in month 1 (p=.004) and month 2 (p<.017) before exhibiting a steeper decline in the following months (B=–0.127, p=.028) with a distinct cubic pattern of change (B = 0.15, p=.031) compared to the EX group. Random effects indicated substantial individual variability in both baseline MVPA and time slopes. These findings suggest that RAS can successfully increase MVPA through supervised training, but independent adherence to MVPA may require additional strategies. Abstract citation ID: igaf122.4385 PERSONALIZED, MUSIC-BASED RHYTHMIC AUDITORY STIMULATION FOR EXERCISE PROMOTION OF OLDER ADULTS Kyoung Shin Park1, Bryan Montero Herrera2, Brittany Armstrong2, Jiyeong Hong2, Jeongwoon Kim1, Jasmin Hutchinson3, David Williams4, and Jennifer Etnier2, 1. Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, 2. University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, United States, 3. Springfield

FAQs

What is the main goal of the study?

To evaluate whether personalized, music-based rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) can increase MVPA in low-active older adults over 6 months.

How were participants assigned to the exercise conditions?

Older adults were randomized into an exercise-only group (EX) or an exercise-with-RAS group (MEX), while both received identical aerobic and strength training.

What outcome measure was used to track physical activity?

Weekly MVPA volume was assessed with a waist-worn triaxial accelerometer for 7 days at baseline and on a monthly basis.

Sep 28, 2026

Upload by McQueen