Turning Up the Volume on Brain Health in Older Adults
As part of a sub-study of the ASPirin Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) trial, the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP) focuses on the physical, behavioral, social, economic, and environmental factors that positively and negatively impact the health and quality of life of older adults. As part of the ALSOP study, researchers found that always listening to music, compared with never, rarely, or sometimes listening to music after the age of 70, was associated with a 39 percent reduction in dementia risk and a lower risk of memory loss. The study included more than 10,800 older adults.
Specifically, the study found that regular engagement with listening to music and playing an instrument decreased dementia risk by 33 percent and less severe cognitive impairment by 22 percent. The study did not explore whether certain music genres offered greater cognitive benefits; however, it did explore the frequency of listening, categorized as never, rarely, sometimes, or always. Individuals who reported always listening to music had a 39 percent lower risk of dementia. Individuals who regularly played an instrument saw a 35 percent reduction in dementia risk.
Researchers are still unsure about the causation of these results. However, Joanne Ryan, Chronic Disease and Aging Professor at Monash University, said that music may boost people’s mood and stimulate multiple areas of the brain, thus supporting cognitive function.
“Evidence suggests that brain aging is not just based on age and genetics but can be influenced by one's own environmental and lifestyle choices. Our study suggests that lifestyle-based interventions, such as listening and/or playing music, can promote cognitive health,” said Ryan.
Kerry Sheets, MD, and Anne Murray, MD, MSc, geriatricians and epidemiologists at the Berman Center for Outcomes and Clinical Research at Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute (HHRI), were coauthors of the study.
The full study is available in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry: “What is the association between music-related leisure activities and dementia risk? A cohort study.”
Related Resources
Science Daily - "Daily music listening to a big drop in dementia risk"
- A research summary reporting that older adults who regularly listen to or play music have significantly lower rates of dementia and cognitive decline, based on data from large aging studies.
The Hill - "Listening to music associated with lower dementia risk: study"
- A news article highlighting new findings that music listening and instrument playing are linked to reduced dementia risk among adults over 70.
The Washington Post (Lifestyle) - "Listening to music may lower dementia risk, study finds"
- A consumer‑focused story exploring how regular engagement with music is associated with lower dementia risk later in life.
The Washington Post (Wellness) - "How music affects the brain and mental health"
- An explainer on how listening to music influences brain function, mood, stress, and long‑term cognitive health across a person's lifespan.
Related Stories
- https://www.hhrinstitute.org/when-evidence-changes-practice-rethinking-aspirin-in-older-adults/
- https://www.hhrinstitute.org/what-long-term-data-reveals-about-aspirin-and-cancer-risk/
- https://www.hhrinstitute.org/kidney-disease-brain-health/
- https://www.hhrinstitute.org/hats-study-dementia-risk-older-black-adults/