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Music and Aging: Can Learning an Instrument Keep Our Minds Sharp?

One of the fascinating things about music is how it pulls our whole brain into action. Think about it: when we play an instrument, it’s not just our ears at work. Our motor skills, vision, and memory all get a workout too. That’s why, over the years, researchers have come to see music as a unique way to study how our brains adapt and change—what we call "neuroplasticity."

So, it’s natural to wonder: if playing music can help our brains grow stronger, could it also help slow down the cognitive decline that often comes with aging?

Music and Hearing in Older Adults

As we age, many of us experience some hearing difficulties. It’s common for older adults to face two main types of hearing issues:
1. Cochlear dysfunctions—problems in the inner ear, which can lead to hearing loss, especially at higher frequencies.
2. Central auditory processing issues—which makes it harder to process complex sounds in the brain, impacting the way we understand conversations, especially in noisy places.

Even older people with normal hearing sometimes find it tough to understand speech when there’s background noise, like music or a bustling room. This shows us that processing sounds in the brain is crucial for understanding language.

Aging can also lead to other cognitive changes: slower memory recall, trouble solving problems, and difficulties with executive functions. These changes are often tied to shifts in behavior, mood swings, anxiety, and sometimes depression. Understandably, these all impact quality of life, social interactions, and even daily activities.

The good news? Research shows that our brains maintain a surprising level of plasticity throughout life. This means that even in later years, engaging in activities that challenge our minds—like playing music—might actually improve cognition or at least slow its decline.

Why Music Might Be Special

Compared to other activities, music stands out. Even in advanced stages of dementia, many people retain some musical abilities. This can create an amazing bridge for communication, often helping reduce anxiety and depression in patients with dementia. Memory for music can be affected differently depending on the type of dementia, like Alzheimer’s, Semantic Dementia, or Frontotemporal Dementia.

Research also suggests that the lifelong practice of music could even change how we age. It appears that musical training can have a lasting impact on central auditory processing, which could help mitigate the effects of age-related hearing issues. There’s something about music that not only boosts cognitive functions but also lifts mood and overall quality of life.

For older adults who have been musicians for years, studies show they often respond to tasks faster than non-musicians. This highlights the idea of Cognitive Reserve—the idea that engaging in enriching activities builds a buffer in our brains, making us better prepared to handle the effects of aging. So, when we keep our minds active, it’s like adding to this cognitive "savings account," helping us stay sharp for longer.

Cognitive Reserve: A Buffer Against Aging

As we get older, lifestyle changes can happen—less mobility, fewer social outings, and fewer chances to engage in mentally stimulating activities. But things like exercise, socializing, reading, and yes, playing music are all tied to a lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Why? These activities seem to help create that cognitive reserve, allowing our brains to compensate more effectively when things start to slow down.

Musicians, especially, seem to be a perfect model to study this phenomenon. Musical training appears to help create a strong cognitive reserve, which can help older musicians preserve their auditory and cognitive skills longer than those without musical experience.

So, Can Music Help Us Age Better?

The more I learn about music and the brain, the more convinced I am that picking up an instrument—or any mentally challenging hobby—might just be one of the best things we can do for our brains as we age. Music brings together so many different types of cognitive work—attention, memory, coordination, and more—that it could potentially act as a powerful tool to maintain mental sharpness.

Incorporating music into our lives, even in later years, might be a way to keep the brain active, engaged, and better prepared to handle whatever aging throws our way. So, let’s turn up the tunes and consider it an investment in a sharper, more resilient mind.

References:

  • ZENDEL, Benjamin Rich; ALAIN, Claude. Musicians experience less age-related decline in central auditory processing. Psychology and Aging, v. 27, n. 2, p. 410–417, 2012. DOI: 10.1037/a0024816.

  • ZATORRE, Robert J.; BELIN, Pascal; PENHUNE, Virginia B. Structure and function of auditory cortex: music and speech. Trends in Cognitive Science, v. 6, n. 1, p. 37–46, 2002. DOI: 10.1016/S1364-6613(00)01816-7.

  • ZATORRE, Robert J.; CHEN, Joyce L.; PENHUNE, Virginia B. When the brain plays music: auditory–motor interactions in music perception and production. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, v. 8, p. 547–558, 2007. DOI: 10.1038/nrn2152.

  • VINCIGUERRA, Claudia. Music intervention efficacy in elderly: a promising non-pharmacological approach to cognitive dysfunctions. Neurological Sciences, v. 38, n. 6, p. 933–934, 2017. DOI: 10.1007/s10072-017-3011-9.

  • STEFFENER, Jason; STERN, Yaakov. Exploring the neural basis of cognitive reserve in aging. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular Basis of Disease, v. 1822, n. 3, p. 467–473, 2012. Imaging Brain Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2011.09.012.

  • EGGERMONT, Jos J. Chapter 9 - Music and the Brain. In: EGGERMONT, Jos J. (Ed.). Noise and the Brain. San Diego: Academic Press, 2014. P. 240–265. ISBN 978-0-12-415994-5. DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-415994-5.00009-9.

  • BAIRD, Amee; SAMSON, Séverine. Chapter 11 - Music and dementia. In: ALTENMÜLLER, Eckart; FINGER, Stanley; BOLLER, François (Ed.). Music, Neurology, and Neuroscience: Evolution, the Musical Brain, Medical Conditions, and Therapies. [S.l.]: Elsevier, 2015. v. 217. (Progress in Brain Research). P. 207–235. DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2014.11.028.

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