Music and dementia: Older adults who regularly listen to music or play an instrument may face a markedly lower risk of dementia, according to research from Monash University published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.
Tracking more than 10,800 Australians aged 70+ over several years, the team found that those who always listened to music had a 39% lower risk of developing dementia and better memory performance, while those who played instruments had a 35% lower risk. Seniors who did both saw the greatest protection, and the combination was also tied to a 22% lower risk of mild cognitive impairment, along with higher scores in overall cognition and episodic memory.
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“With no cure for dementia, finding ways to prevent or delay onset is critical,” said study leaders Emma Jaffa and Professor Joanne Ryan, who noted that brain ageing is shaped not only by age and genetics but also by environmental and lifestyle choices. The benefits appeared strongest among participants with higher education (=16 years of schooling), and results were mixed for those with moderate education levels.
Researchers cautioned that the findings are observational and do not prove that music directly prevents dementia; music may be a marker for broader mental, social, and lifestyle engagement. Still, the results add to the evidence that cognitively and socially stimulating hobbies, such as music, reading, and art, may help maintain brain health later in life.
