NEWS BRIEF: Harnessing harmony—A surprising way to defy dementia

About two out of every three Americans will experience some degree of cognitive impairment by age 70.¹

But scientists recently discovered there’s one thing that may not only put the brakes on age-related cognitive decline, but also REVERSE it…

Music.

Sounds like brain protection

We’ve known for a long time that people who play a musical instrument throughout their lives have a much lower risk of ever developing dementia. Apparently, the practice of performing music protects your neurological function and increases the brain’s resiliency. It also improves your attention, reasoning, and speed of information processing.

But scientists in Spain recently wondered whether picking up an instrument later in life would deliver the same brain benefits.² So, they followed a group of men and women who began playing an instrument after age 59.

It turns out, the older musicians experienced a cognitive performance boost similar to the life-long musicians. But, unlike those who began training in youth, the cognitive boost among the late starters was transient—meaning the benefits went away when they stopped playing the instrument.

But here’s the kicker…

In a related clinical trial, researchers found that just listening to music benefits cognitive function in older adults. In fact, older men and women who listened to 12 minutes of music daily for 12 weeks showed decreases in the harmful biomarker associated with dementia. They also experienced improvements in memory, executive cognitive function (like decision making and planning), mood, and sleep.

Clearly, it’s NEVER too late to start protecting your brain. And that’s certainly music to my ears!

So, why not spend some time learning to read music, playing an instrument, or simply listening to live music in the park—or even on the radio? I know I will be!

References:

1. “Cognitive impairment in the U.S.: Lifetime risk, age at onset, and years impaired.” SSM Popul Health. 2020 Mar 31;11:100577. doi.org/ 10.1016/j.ssmph.2020.100577. 
2. “Does Music Benefit the Brain?” Cognitive Vitality, 3/5/19. (alzdiscovery.org/cognitive-vitality/blog/does-music-benefit-the-brain)