By Madeleine Muzdakis on February 6, 2024

Photo: ORSON/Depositphotos

Time to pick up an instrument!

Music is a powerful medicine for the soul—and as recent research suggests, the brain. Particularly as one ages, keeping an active, varied mental world alive is critical to preserving cognitive abilities and can help stave off decline. A study out of the UK, recently published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, found that playing music (rather than just listening to it) helped older adults without a dementia diagnosis stay sharp across a variety of mental skills. The research is a new argument for encouraging broad, accessible music programs as a public health initiative.

Photo: ARTURVERKHOVETSKIY/Depositphotos

The researchers drew data from 1,100 people aged 40 and above. The average age was 68. “Because we have such sensitive brain tests for this study, we are able to look at individual aspects of the brain function, such as short-term memory, long-term memory, and problem-solving and how engaging music effects that,” lead author Anne Corbett told the BBC. The effects of playing an instrument, singing, reading sheet music, and listening to music played by others were studied. Those who played instruments showed the greatest gains from the activity, especially for piano and for those who played in old age. This may be due to the “multiple cognitive demands” required to coordinate hand, mouth, eyes, and brain while playing. […]

Motr: Research Says Playing an Instrument or Singing Helps Brain Health