Brain study is music to our ears
Scientists prove it’s never too late to gain health benefits from learning to play an instrument.
A groundbreaking study has found that older adults who begin and maintain musical instrument training can experience significant cognitive benefits, challenging the notion that it's too late to start learning music in later life.
Conducted by researchers from Kyoto University, Kumamoto University, and Umeå University, the study tracked 53 healthy older adults over a period of four years.
Participants were divided into two groups: those who continued musical training (the “continue group”) and those who discontinued and engaged in other leisure activities (the “stop group”).
In subsequent tests, the continue group demonstrated better preservation of verbal working memory and executive function compared to the stop group.
Neuroimaging revealed that the continue group also maintained greater grey matter volume in the right putamen, a brain region associated with motor skills and cognitive functions.
“We were surprised to find that the effects on the brains of elderly people who start and continue practicing an instrument were concentrated in these areas,” said study author, Kaoru Sekiyama.
“This suggests that practicing an instrument may prevent or postpone cognitive decline associated with healthy ageing.”
The findings of the study, published in Imaging Neuroscience, align with previous research indicating that musical activities can enhance brain health in older adults. For instance, a study by the University of Exeter in England found that playing an instrument or singing is linked to better memory and thinking skills in older people.
Anne Corbett, professor of dementia research at Exeter, said the study “has given us a unique opportunity to explore the relationship between cognitive performance and music in a large cohort of older adults.
“Overall, we think that being musical could be a way of harnessing the brain’s agility and resilience, known as cognitive reserve.
“Although more research is needed to investigate this relationship, our findings indicate that promoting musical education would be a valuable part of public health initiatives to promote a protective lifestyle for brain health, as would encouraging older adults to return to music in later life.”
Insights from these studies offer promising implications for ageing populations, especially for those who may find physical exercise challenging. Engaging in musical training could serve as an accessible and enjoyable alternative to support cognitive health.
Related reading: MIT, Newsreel, The Guardian
