Listening to music reduces dementia risk by almost 40%, new study finds

A new study suggesting that listening to or playing music could reduce the risk of dementia might inspire you to sing a new tune.

Adults over 70 who regularly listen to music were nearly 40% less likely to develop dementia, a group of cognitive disorders that lead to a decline in memory, thinking and other mental abilities, according to a new study from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.

Those who always listened to music had a 39% lower risk of developing dementia and better memory performance, while those who played an instrument had a 35% lower risk.

STUDY REVEALS WHY “SUPER AGERS” MAINTAIN “OUTSTANDING MEMORY” UNTIL THEIR 80S

Doing both offered an even greater protective effect against cognitive decline, found the researchers, led by Monash honors student Emma Jaffa and Professor Joanne Ryan.

Researchers have found that older adults who play an instrument or listen to music regularly may have better brain health later in life. (iStock)

“With no cure currently available for dementia, it is critical to identify strategies to prevent or delay the onset of the disease,” Ryan said in a declaration.

“Evidence suggests that brain aging is not based solely on age and genetics, but can be influenced by our own environmental and lifestyle choices,” she added.

EVEN SMALL AMOUNTS OF ALCOHOL LINKED TO HIGHER RISK OF DEMENTIA IN OLDER ADULTS, STUDY SHOWS

More than 10,800 adults aged 70 and older were followed for several years in long-term Australian studies, and asked whether they always, often, sometimes, rarely or never listened to and played music, according to the paper published last month in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Regularly listening to and playing music also reduces the risk of mild cognitive impairment, less severe than dementia, by 22% and is associated with higher scores in global cognition and episodic memory, which help people remember everyday events.

Playing a musical instrument later in life could help strengthen memory and thinking skills, scientists say. (iStock)

Dementia affects about 57 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, and the findings suggest that music may offer a simple way to protect cognitive function, but do not prove that it directly prevents dementia.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

“Musical activities may provide an accessible strategy for maintaining cognitive health in older adults, although causality cannot be established,” the researchers noted.

The overall benefits of music were more pronounced among older adults with higher levels of education – those who had completed at least 16 years of schooling – while the results were mixed among those with moderate levels of education.

CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

The findings add to growing research showing that creative, social and mentally stimulating hobbies such as music, reading and art can help keep the brain healthy later in life, and a 2022 meta-analysis conducted in the United States and Japan reported similar benefits for older adults who play musical instruments.

Staying mentally and socially active through hobbies like music can help keep the brain healthy. (iStock)

Dr. Morten Scheibye-Knudsen, associate professor of aging at the University of Copenhagen, cautioned that while mental stimulation is encouraged, the science behind it is not established.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES

“In general, it is advisable to train your brain, but the data is not so clear,” he said recently. BBC Science Focus, noting that studies on activities such as music, puzzles, or learning new skills have yielded mixed results.

Still, he noted, “playing an instrument has additional benefits…including increased social interactions, which prove very important as we age.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital has contacted the study authors for comment.