Topic: Health

Researchers at Kyoto University found that older adults who started playing a musical instrument showed improvements in memory performance and brain function. The benefits lasted even after four years.

Living longer often comes with changes in cognitive abilities, and working memory is among the mental skills most vulnerable to age-related decline. Researchers have long believed that both physical exercise and mentally stimulating activities can help support brain health as people grow older.

Two brain regions that commonly shrink and become less active with age are the putamen and the cerebellum. Interestingly, neuroscience studies have also identified these same areas as being particularly responsive to musical instrument training.

A team of researchers at Kyoto University wanted to determine whether older adults could gain similar benefits by learning a musical instrument later in life. They followed 53 participants who started playing an instrument for the first time over a four-month period. The results showed that those who continued practicing their instrument after the initial four months had better memory performance and brain function compared to those who stopped.

Four years later, the researchers invited participants back for MRI scans that focused especially on the putamen and cerebellum. Participants also completed several cognitive assessments, including a verbal working memory test. The results showed that participants who continued playing their instruments did not show the same drop in memory performance or the same degree of putamen shrinkage as those who stopped.

The findings suggest that learning and continuing to play a musical instrument may help delay or reduce some of the cognitive changes associated with normal aging.

Why It Matters

This study shows that it's never too late to start playing an instrument, even in your 70s. This is especially valuable for people who have difficulty participating in physical exercise due to body pain or other problems.

Key Facts

• Older adults who started playing a musical instrument showed improvements in memory performance and brain function.
• The benefits of learning a musical instrument lasted even after four years.
• Participants who continued practicing their instrument had better memory performance and brain function compared to those who stopped.
• The study suggests that learning and continuing to play a musical instrument may help delay or reduce some of the cognitive changes associated with normal aging.
• It's never too late to start playing an instrument, even in your 70s.

Key Terms

Putamen

A part of the brain that is responsible for movement and balance.

Implications

This study shows that it's never too late to start playing an instrument, even in your 70s. This is especially valuable for people who have difficulty participating in physical exercise due to body pain or other problems.