The Impact of Musical Intervention on Cognitive Function: A Scoping Review of Attention, Memory, Visuospatial Ability, and Executive Function

Current literature suggests musical interventions may facilitate enhanced cognition. The present study aimed to analyze this relation, using articles from multiple authors to substantiate this notion. Specifically, this systematic review aimed to support the idea that music has a positive effect in four specific neural domains: attention, memory, visuospatial ability, and executive functions. A comprehensive literature review was conducted in PubMed and Google Scholar up until October 2025. Eligible studies included peer-reviewed articles that investigated the impact of musical intervention on at least one of the specified cognitive domains in human participants of any age. Studies were excluded if they lacked clear methodology, did not report relevant cognitive outcomes, or did not indicate musical intervention. Twenty studies involving over 13,500 participants met the inclusion criteria. One independent reviewer screened and selected studies, and the risk of bias was assessed through a narrative quality appraisal approach. Results were synthesized narratively due to heterogeneity in research methodologies and outcomes. Limitations include methodological heterogeneity and potential publication bias. The findings of this study generally indicate that music enhances cognition, providing promise that music can facilitate cognitive function. However, further research may find it useful to explore the reason for varying changes in cognition by differing musical genres, as it was concluded that some genres (such as rock or fast-paced songs) have a less positively pronounced effect on cognition. No funding was received, the review was not registered, and the author declares no conflict of interest.