Could music be the brain’s secret defense against aging?
Recent research suggests that playing an instrument or even listening to music may do more than just lift your mood; it could actually shield your brain from cognitive decline.
Recent studies show that music may enhance cognitive function and promote healthy aging. Playing an instrument has been linked to a lower risk for dementia and other cognitive impairments later in life. Musical training and performance are clearly linked to enhanced brain function. This is because creating music requires multiple brain regions to be actively engaged. In a recent study(read the study here!) researchers examined 157 pairs of twins(one with dementia or cognitive impairment, the other without). In 27 of those pairs, only one had played an instrument. Those who had played an instrument were significantly less likely to have dementia or cognitive impairment. This study concluded that playing an instrument can be a protective factor against such impairments. Another study(link here) questioned if musical practice has an impact on neurocognitive aging. Participants aged 59 and older and had their cognitive function/brain status assessed. Those who had participated in musical practice showed greater cognitive and cerebral benefits of musical practice in auditory perceptions and other general brain functions. The benefits seem to protect cognitive areas that typically decline with aging and also boost other areas that don’t decline with aging. Lifelong musical practice is linked to lower risk of dementia and mild cognitive impairment, and many cognitive advantages such as faster processing speed, attention, memory and language. It changes your brain by increasing gray matter volume and supporting white matter health. Starting musical training in early childhood was especially beneficial for cognitive function. Even training in late adulthood also showed similar results as life long musicians, although the benefits would fade if the practice would stop. Continued practice would be necessary for longer lasting benefits. While active musical practice gives the greatest level of neuroprotection, evidence suggests that simply listening to music can have benefits. In a clinical trial – shown here – adults with “subjective cognitive decline” were asked to listen to music for 12 weeks, 12 minutes a day. They experience improvements in memory, mood and sleep. The effects of music training on brain plasticity(definition here) have also been widely studied. Studies show that music training enhances the auditory system, which helps musicians prepare for listening tasks beyond music. This effect suggests that music is a resource that exercises the brain for auditory fitness – this article(link here!) compares musical training and the brain’s auditory system to that of physical exercise and body fitness.
You don’t need to be a professional musician to benefit from music. So next time you turn on your favorite playlist, or play your favorite instrument, remember all the ways it benefits your brain!
