Living a long life is often accompanied by changes in cognitive abilities, and working memory is one of the mental skills most susceptible to age-related decline. Researchers have long believed that both physical exercise and mentally stimulating activities can support brain health as we age.
Two areas of the brain that commonly shrink and become less active with age are the putamen and the cerebellum. Interestingly, neuroscience research has also identified these same regions as particularly responsive to instrumental training. However, much of the existing research focuses on young people or individuals who started music in early childhood.
Long-term effects of learning a musical instrument
To find out whether older adults could experience similar benefits, researchers at Kyoto University looked at what happens when people pick up a musical instrument later in life.
The researchers previously reported that older adults who practiced playing a musical instrument for the first time over a four-month period showed improvements in memory and putamen function. Encouraged by these findings, the researchers wanted to determine whether the benefits could be sustained over time.
The new study followed the same participants as the early 2020 project. The average age of participants at the beginning of the initial study was 73 years. After completing the initial four-month training period, about half continued to practice their instrument for three years or more, while the rest quit and pursued other hobbies instead.
Brain scan reveals differences after 4 years
Four years later, the researchers invited the participants back for an MRI scan that focused specifically on the putamen and cerebellum. Participants also completed several cognitive assessments, including a verbal working memory test.
At the start of the study, there were no significant differences between the groups in either brain structure or cognitive ability. But four years later, a clear difference has emerged.
Participants who stopped practicing music showed decreased verbal working memory and decreased gray matter volume within the right putamen. In contrast, those who continued to play their instruments showed no decline in memory or any degree of shrinkage of the putamen.
The researchers also found that participants who continued practicing had greater activity in larger areas of both cerebellum compared to participants who stopped practicing.
“We were surprised to discover that the effects on the brain of older people who start or continue to practice a musical instrument are also concentrated in these two areas of the brain, and that this is an effective way to prevent age-related decline,” says corresponding author Kaoru Sekiyama.
Music as a tool for healthy brain aging
The findings suggest that continuing to learn and play a musical instrument may help slow or reduce some of the cognitive changes that accompany normal aging. The results also show that people can benefit even if they start learning later in life.
“It’s never too late to start playing an instrument. There may be great benefits to starting later in life.”
Sekiyama also points out that music may be particularly valuable for people who have difficulty participating in physical activity.
“For people who have difficulty engaging in physical activity due to body pain or other issues, playing an instrument is a great alternative. How lucky we are that musical practice can have such a positive impact on the brain and cognitive function,” says Sekiyama.
