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2024-11-11

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Playing an instrument linked to better brain health in older adults (medicalxpress.com)

submitted 9 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Engaging in music throughout your life is associated with better brain health in older age, according to a new study published by experts at the University of Exeter.

Scientists working on PROTECT, an online study open to people aged 40 and over, reviewed data from more than a thousand adults over the age of 40 to see the effect of playing a musical instrument—or singing in a choir—on brain health. Over 25,000 people have signed up for the PROTECT study, which has been running for 10 years.

The team reviewed participants' musical experience and lifetime exposure to music, alongside results of cognitive testing, to determine whether musicality helps to keep the brain sharp in later life.

The paper, "The relationship between playing musical instruments and cognitive trajectories: Analysis from a UK aging cohort," is published in International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 9 months ago

I thought it's very clear that anything that keeps your brain busy and forming new pathways is good for you. Playing an instrument, frequent social interactions, trying new things, working out, not getting stuck in your routine. Basically stuff that's good for people of all ages.