Research has shown that being close to music can reduce the risk of dementia.
As a result of a study conducted by Australia’s Monash University on the impact of listening to or playing music on brain health among 10,800 people aged 70 or older without a history of dementia diagnosis, it was found that people who always listen to music have a 39% reduced risk of developing dementia compared to people who never, rarely, or occasionally listen to music. Playing musical instruments also showed a 35% reduction.
The research results are International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatrywas published in
Research Overview
Researchers analyzed the risk of developing dementia after three years according to the level of participation in musical activities (listening to music, playing an instrument, or a combination of both).
As a result, always listening to music lowered the risk of dementia the most. Along with a 39% reduction in the incidence of dementia, the incidence of cognitive impairment without dementia (hereinafter referred to as cognitive impairment) was also 17% lower, and overall cognitive ability and episodic memory (a type of memory that stores events directly experienced by an individual or events that occurred at a specific time and place) scores were also higher.
People who often or always played a musical instrument had a 35% lower risk of dementia. However, there was no significant association with the risk of cognitive impairment or changes in cognitive function.
It was found that people who listen to music and play musical instruments simultaneously reduce the risk of dementia by 33% and the risk of cognitive impairment by 23%.
“Protect your brain health in old age by listening to music and playing musical instruments.”
Corresponding author Professor Joan Ryan (Head of the Neuropsychiatry & Dementia Research Department) said, “As there is currently no cure for dementia, it is very important to find strategies to prevent or delay the onset of the disease. Previous studies have shown that brain aging can be influenced not only by age and genetic factors, but also by the individual’s environment and lifestyle habits. This study is based on music. “This shows that lifestyle-based interventions, such as listening and playing musical instruments, have the potential to improve cognitive health.”
The protective effect of music on brain function was most pronounced in groups with more than 16 years of higher education, that is, college graduates or higher, but was not consistent at the secondary level of education (12 to 15 years).
There are also limitations as it is an observational study.
The researchers said, “The results of the study suggest that music activities may be an accessible strategy for maintaining cognitive health in older adults, but the causal relationship has not yet been identified.”
Related research paper address: https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/gps.70163
Reporter Park Hae-sik pistols@donga.com
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