Table 3 Means (M), percentages and standard deviations (SD) of the extra-linguistic, Solfeggio and Seashore tests as well as the musical emotion recognition test in the AD and control groups

 Recognition of rhythmic structures

1.9 ± 1.4 (31.7 ± 23.3)

1.6 ± 1.2 (26.7 ± 20)

3.9 ± 1.9 (65 ± 31.7)

0.0013*

 Familiar melody memory

2.4 ± 1.2 (48 ± 24)

2.6 ± 1.1 (52 ± 22)

3.4 ± 1.0 (68 ± 20)

0.0126*

 No familiar melody recognition

1.5 ± 0.8 (50 ± 26.7)

1.1 ± 1.0 (36.7 ± 33.3)

2.4 ± 0.7 (80 ± 23.3)

0.0002*

 Recognition of musical timbres

2.4 ± 1.4 (48 ± 28)

2.0 ± 1.4 (40 ± 28)

3.7 ± 1.5 (74 ± 30)

0.0025*

 Total score

8.3 ± 3.7 (43.6 ± 19.5)

7.3 ± 3.0 (38.4 ± 15.8)

13.5 ± 4.3 (71.1 ± 22.6)

0.0002*

 Notes recognition

15.3 ± 6.9 (72.8 ± 32.9)

13.9 ± 7.4 (66.2 ± 35.2)

18.7 ± 4.3 (89 ± 6.2)

0.1370 ns

 Notes writing

8.8 ± 4.8 (62.9 ± 34.3)

5.9 ± 5.0 (42.1 ± 35.7)

12.6 ± 1.7 (90 ± 12.1)

0.0001*

Total score

24.2 ± 10.7 (69.1 ± 30.6)

19.8 ± 11.7 (56.6 ± 33.4)

31.3 ± 5.3 (89.4 ± 15.1)

0.0022*

 Pitch

5.5 ± 2.4 (55 ± 24)

4.4 ± 2.2 (44 ± 22)

6.5 ± 2.4 (65 ± 24)

0.0610 ns

 Loudness

6.2 ± 2.5 (62 ± 25)

4.4 ± 2.9 (44 ± 29)

7.5 ± 2 (75 ± 20)

0.0027*

 Rhythm

7.3 ± 2.7 (73 ± 27)

5.5 ± 2.4 (55 ± 24)

7.9 ± 1.9 (79 ± 19)

0.0089*

 Time

7.7 ± 1.7 (77 ± 17)

5.2 ± 2.7 (52 ± 27)

7.7 ± 2 (77 ± 20)

0.0043*

 Timbre

6.8 ± 1.6 (68 ± 16)

4.6 ± 2.4 (46 ± 24)

6.6 ± 2 (66 ± 20)

0.0090*

 Tonal memory

3.9 ± 2.3 (39 ± 23)

2.1 ± 1.9 (21 ± 19)

6 ± 3 .2 (60 ± 32)

0.0008*

 Total score

37.5 ± 6.4 (62.5 ± 10.7)

25.9 ± 10.2 (43.1 ± 17)

42.1 ± 9.3 (70.1 ± 15.5)

< 0.0001*

Musical emotion recognition test

4.1 ± 1.3 (68.3 ± 21.6)

4.1 ± 0.8 (68.3 ± 13.3)

4.8 ± 1.4 (80 ± 23.3)

0.0634 ns