Overview

This study will evaluate whether binaural beats can improve cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment living in nursing homes. Participants will listen to 10-Hz alpha-frequency binaural beats through headphones once daily for 30 minutes for 14 consecutive days. Cognitive function, sleep quality, anxiety, and depressive symptoms will be assessed before the intervention, after the intervention, and at a 2-week follow-up after the intervention. The study aims to determine whether binaural beats are a safe, simple, and non-drug approach to support cognitive health in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age 60 years or older.
2. Not previously diagnosed with dementia.
3. Meets the diagnostic criteria for mild cognitive impairment, with Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores adjusted by education level, Mini-Mental State Examination score \>= 24, and Activities of Daily Living score \< 23.
4. Has lived in a nursing home for more than 2 months and plans to continue living there during the study period.
5. No hearing impairment; Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly-Screening Version score \< 8, and able to hear binaural beats through both ears.
6. Conscious and able to cooperate with questionnaires and scale assessments.
7. Has not taken medications that may affect cognitive function within 3 to 6 months before the intervention.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Severe physical disease, major organ failure, or advanced malignant tumor.
2. Diagnosed depression or other psychiatric disorders.

Withdrawal Criteria:

1. Serious adverse events during the study, such as falls, disease recurrence, discomfort caused by the intervention audio, death, or other conditions making continued participation unsuitable.
2. Voluntary withdrawal from the study.

Removal Criteria:

1. Incomplete data resulting in missing information.
2. Missing three or more intervention sessions within 2 weeks without following intervention instructions.
3. Receiving other treatments or interventions related to cognitive function during the trial.