Adults over 70 who regularly listen to music show 39% lower dementia risk while instrument players have 35% reduced risk, according to new Monash University research.
A new study that suggests listening to or playing music could slash the risk of dementia might have you singing a new tune.
Adults over 70 who regularly listen to music were nearly 40% less likely to develop dementia — a group of cognitive disorders that cause a decline in memory, thinking and other mental abilities — according to a new study from Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.
Those who always listened to music showed a 39% lower risk of developing dementia and better memory performance, while those who played instruments had a 35% lower risk.
Doing both offered an even greater protective effect against cognitive decline, the researchers, led by Monash honors student Emma Jaffa and Professor Joanne Ryan, found.
« With no cure currently available for dementia, the importance of identifying strategies to help prevent or delay onset of the disease is critical », Ryan said in a statement.
« 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 », she added.
