AFP – More than just a party trick or a way to impress at family gatherings, recent research suggests that playing musical instruments can positively impact brain health, especially among older individuals. These findings underscore the importance of music as a vital component of healthy ageing.
While numerous studies have explored the role of specific foods like oily fish, spinach, certain spices, and dark chocolate in maintaining cognitive function, there are also everyday activities accessible to most people that can enhance cognitive performance.
Music is one such activity. Not only can music be a source of pleasure, it may also be a key element in improving certain cognitive functions, and maintaining a healthy brain as we age. These are the findings of a new study by researchers at the University of Exeter, United Kingdom, who looked at the impact of playing an instrument, as well as singing, on the brain health of people in their 40s and beyond.
“A number of studies have looked at the effect of music on brain health. Our 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,” explained Professor Anne Corbett, who specialises in dementia research at the University of Exeter, in a press release.
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This work is based on the Protect study, a vast online survey which has so far gathered data from over 25,000 people aged 40 and over, over the last decade. Over a thousand participants were included in this research into the effects of music on brain health.
The scientists assessed the participants’ musical experience, whether playing an instrument or singing in a choir, as well as their results on cognitive tests. Published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, their findings point to a link between an improvement in memory and ability to solve complex tasks and playing a musical instrument, particularly the piano.
Music was found to be beneficial for improving executive function, but that’s not all.
Researchers also report better brain health was associated with singing, although they pointed out via the press release that “this may also be due to the social factors of being part of a choir or group”.
Interestingly, while it has already been demonstrated that playing a musical instrument as a child can help people age well, this research highlights that continuing this activity at a later age “provides even greater benefit”.
“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.
“There is considerable evidence for the benefit of music group activities for individuals with dementia, and this approach could be extended as part of a healthy ageing package for older adults to enable them to proactively reduce their risk and to promote brain health,” Corbett advocates.
