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.
