Benefits of childhood music lessons may extend into old age

June, 2011

A new study finds length of musical training in childhood is associated with less cognitive decline in old age.

A study involving 70 older adults (60-83) has found that those with at least ten years of musical training performed the best on cognitive tests, followed by those with one to nine years of musical study, with those with no musical training trailing the field.

All the musicians were amateurs who began playing an instrument at about 10 years of age. Half of the high-level musicians still played an instrument at the time of the study, but they didn't perform better on the cognitive tests than the other advanced musicians who had stopped playing years earlier. Previous research suggests that both years of musical participation and age of acquisition are critical.

All the participants had similar levels of education and fitness. The cognitive tests related to visuospatial memory, naming objects and executive function.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-04/eu-mam042011.php
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-04/apa-cml042011.php

Reference:

Hanna-Pladdy, B. & MacKay, A. 2011. The relation between instrumental musical activity and cognitive aging. Neuropsychology, 25 (3), 378-86. doi: 10.1037/a0021895

music

seniors

aging

Strategies

Related News

Impaired recovery from inflammation linked to Alzheimer's

Analyses of cerebrospinal fluid from 15 patients with Alzheimer's disease, 20 patients with mild cognitive impairment, and 21 control subjects, plus brain tis

Tau protein travels with neuronal signals

Tau protein stabilizes structures that transport supplies from the center of the cell to the extremities, but sometimes some tau is not bound to these microtubules and instead clumps together into

Why sleep is disrupted in Alzheimer's disease

A study involving genetically engineered fruit flies adds to our understanding of why sleep and bioclock disruptions are common in those with Alzheimer's disease.

How inflammation and hypoxia damage the brain

A new study shows that a combination of inflammation and hypoxia activates microglia in a way that persistently weakens the connection between

APP found to also be involved in neurogenesis

A new function has been found for the

Prion proteins might help reduce amyloid-beta plaques

New research helps explain the role of amyloid-beta plaques in the development of Alzheimer's, by finding that the

More on how amyloid-beta gets out of control

Creating amyloid-beta requires the convergence of a protein called

Gardening as good as exercise in cutting heart attack risk

A Swedish study of some 4,000 60-year-olds has found that regular “non-exercise” physical activity such as gardening or DIY significantly reduced risk of heart attack or stroke, with those who were most active on a daily basis having a 27% lower risk of a heart attack or stroke and a 30% reduced

Benefits of exercise for older adults depends on genes

A year-long study involving 424 sedentary, mobility-limited seniors aged 70-89, has found that variants in a specific gene (the ACE I/D gene) affect seniors’ ability to benefit from exercise.

Importance of muscle for older adults

Data from the American National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III, involving 3,659 individuals (men aged 55+; women 65+), has found that the more muscle mass older adults have, the less likely they are to die prematurely.

Pages