Health
Music could be the secret to fighting off dementia, study says: ‘Profound impact’
There’s nothing like a nostalgic song to transport you back to a special time and place — and now a new study has shown that music could help protect those memories for a lifetime.
Researchers at the University of Exeter discovered that people who “engage in music” over the course of their lives tend to have improved memory and better overall brain health as they age, according to a press release.
The findings were published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.
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“The main message here is that different ways of engaging with music throughout life could be linked to different benefits,” lead researcher Anne Corbett, professor of dementia research at the University of Exeter, told Fox News Digital.
“This has implications for public health, on the importance of including music in general education, and of keeping it up throughout life, or revisiting in mid to late life,” she went on.
A new study has shown that music could help protect memory and cognitive function for a lifetime. (iStock)
The scientists analyzed data for more than 1,107 people 40 and older who had not been diagnosed with dementia. They were all participants in the PROTECT study, a long-running U.K. research initiative focused on brain health and dementia that has been running since 2015.
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The data for this particular study was collected between March 2019 and March 2022. Participants completed questionnaires in which they reported their experiences with playing a musical instrument, singing, reading music and listening to music.
They also rated the level of their abilities.
The participants, who were 83% female and had an average age of 67, also took an online cognitive test to gauge their memory and executive function.
Those who regularly sang were also shown to have better brain health, the study found, but researchers noted that could also be a result of social factors. (iStock)
The participants who played a musical instrument were found to have higher cognitive skills and enhanced memory compared to those who did not.
The piano was shown to have the biggest cognitive benefit. The longer the person played, the greater the benefits.
Those who regularly sang were also shown to have better brain health, the study found, but researchers noted that could also be a result of social factors.
“Our findings indicate that learning and engaging with music can enhance the brain’s resilience in a similar way to learning a new language.”
“Because of the scale of our study, and the information we have available, we were able to break down the results to look at the association from different types of musicality,” said Corbett. “Singing was associated with better executive function, which could be because of the social aspect of being in a choir.”
People who learn more through written music seemed to have better numerical memory abilities, she noted, whereas playing a keyboard was linked to benefits across the board.
“We found no effect from listening to music alone – formal learning was key,” Corbett added.
Participants who played a musical instrument were found to have higher cognitive skills and enhanced memory compared to those who did not. (iStock)
Based on these findings, the researchers recommend promoting musical education and engagement — from childhood onward — as a means of protecting brain health.
“We think this could be incorporated into general lifestyle advice such as eating healthy and being active, which is geared toward keeping our brains sharp in later life,” said Corbett.
“Our findings indicate that learning and engaging with music can enhance the brain’s resilience in a similar way to learning a new language.”
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The study did have some limitations, the researcher shared.
“The number of people in our study who played certain instruments was quite small, so this may have accounted for part of the effect we found,” Corbett said.
“We also didn’t look at whether taking up an instrument for the first time in later life would have benefit, though it certainly doesn’t do any harm and people would benefit from enjoyment and social interaction. Looking at any impact on the brain could be an interesting avenue for future research.”
The piano was shown to have the biggest cognitive benefit. The longer the person played, the greater the benefits. (iStock)
Dr. Brandon Crawford, a functional neurologist at the NeuroSolution Center of Austin, who was not involved in the study, confirmed the “profound impact” that musical activities, including playing instruments and singing, have on the brain.
“Playing musical instruments and singing engage and strengthen various cognitive processes, including memory, attention and executive functions,” he told Fox News Digital.
“The key is consistent engagement and enjoyment, which are crucial for sustaining the activity and reaping the neurological benefit.”
“They enhance neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to form new neural connections, fostering an environment conducive to learning and growth,” Crawford went on. “Music also stimulates emotional processing and can improve mood, offering a therapeutic benefit.”
The benefits of musical activities are both preventative and rehabilitative, the doctor said.
“For individuals without cognitive impairments, these activities can help maintain and even improve cognitive functions, serving as a protective measure against cognitive decline,” he said.
“Instruments like the piano or violin demand coordination between both hands, reading music and emotional expression, engaging a wide range of brain areas,” a neurologist said. (iStock)
“Meanwhile, [for] those already experiencing symptoms of cognitive decline, musical activities can slow the progression of such symptoms and, in some cases, restore cognitive functions thanks to the brain’s remarkable ability to adapt and change.”
Some of Crawford’s own patients have experienced noticeable improvements in memory, mood and cognitive functions as a result of musical activity, he said.
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“For example, patients with early signs of dementia who started playing the piano or singing regularly have shown improvements in recall abilities and a reduction in the progression of their symptoms,” he shared.
While all musical activities offer benefits, Crawford noted that some instruments might provide more significant cognitive stimulation due to the complexity of the skills they require.
“Singing was associated with better executive function, which could be because of the social aspect of being in a choir,” said the lead researcher. (iStock)
“Instruments like the piano or violin demand coordination between both hands, reading music and emotional expression, engaging a wide range of brain areas,” he said.
The most important thing is that the person enjoys the activity, according to Crawford.
“The key is consistent engagement and enjoyment, which are crucial for sustaining the activity and reaping the neurological benefits,” he said.
Corbett added, “We know that lifestyle factors are important for keeping our brains as sharp as possible in later life.”
“Engaging with music throughout life could form part of this lifestyle advice, alongside factors including exercise, eating a healthy diet, giving up smoking and not drinking too much alcohol.”
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Feeling lonely may take a toll on older adults’ memory — but it may not speed up cognitive decline, according to a new study.
Researchers from Colombia, Spain and Sweden analyzed data from more than 10,000 adults ages 65 to 94 across 12 European countries and found those who reported higher levels of loneliness did worse on memory tests at the start of the study, according to research published this month in the journal Aging & Mental Health.
Over a seven-year period, however, memory decline occurred at a similar rate regardless of how lonely participants felt.
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“The finding that loneliness significantly impacted memory, but not the speed of decline in memory over time was a surprising outcome,” lead author Dr. Luis Carlos Venegas-Sanabria of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Universidad del Rosario said in a statement.
Loneliness may be linked to memory performance in older adults, a new study suggests. (iStock)
“It suggests that loneliness may play a more prominent role in the initial state of memory than in its progressive decline,” Venegas-Sanabria said, adding that the findings highlight the importance of addressing loneliness as a factor in cognitive performance.
The findings add to debate about whether loneliness contributes to dementia risk. While loneliness and social isolation are often considered risk factors for cognitive decline, research results have been mixed.
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The study looked at data from the long-running Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), which tracked 10,217 older adults between 2012 and 2019. Participants were asked to recall words immediately and after a delay to measure memory performance.
Social isolation and loneliness could play a surprising role in cognitive health among seniors. (iStock)
Loneliness was assessed using three questions about how often participants felt isolated, left out or lacking companionship.
About 8% of participants reported high levels of loneliness at the outset. That group tended to be older, more likely to be female and more likely to have conditions such as depression.
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Researchers found that those with higher loneliness had lower scores on both immediate and delayed memory tests at baseline. Still, all groups — regardless of loneliness level — experienced similar declines in memory over time.
The results suggest loneliness may not directly accelerate the progression of memory loss, though it remains linked to poorer cognitive performance overall.
Researchers look at a brain scan at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)
Experts warn, however, that the findings should not be interpreted to mean loneliness is harmless.
“The finding that lonely older adults start with worse memory but don’t decline faster is actually the most interesting part of the paper, and I think it’s easy to misread,” said Jordan Weiss, Ph.D., a scientific advisor and aging expert at Assisted Living Magazine and a professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
“It likely means loneliness does its damage earlier in life, well before people show up in a study like this at 65-plus,” Weiss told Fox News Digital.
By older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold, an aging expert says. (iStock)
He suggested that by older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold.
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“By the time you’re measuring someone in their late 60s, decades of social connection patterns are already baked in,” he said.
Weiss, who was not involved in the research, added that loneliness may coincide with other health conditions, and noted that participants who felt more isolated also had higher rates of depression, high-blood pressure and diabetes. The link, he said, may reflect a cluster of health risks rather than a direct cause.
“While they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia,” a psychotherapist says. (iStock)
Amy Morin, a Florida-based psychotherapist and author, said the findings reflect a broader pattern in research on loneliness and brain health, and that the relationship may be more complex than it appears.
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“The evidence shows there’s a link between loneliness and cognitive decline but there’s no direct evidence of a cause and effect relationship,” she said. “So while they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia.”
Morin added that loneliness, which can fluctuate, may not be the root of the problem, but rather a symptom of other underlying mental or physical health issues.
Researchers suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging. (iStock)
She said staying socially and mentally engaged is crucial for overall brain health.
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“It’s important to be proactive about social activities,” Morin said. “Joining a book club, having coffee with a friend, or attending faith-based services can be a powerful way to maintain connections in older age.”
The researchers also suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
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Research continues to uncover new details on how fasting may help extend life.
A new study published in the journal Nature Communications investigated how intermittent fasting can boost longevity in small worms often used in aging research.
Researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas compared worms that were fed normally to those that underwent a 24-hour fast in early adulthood and were then fed again, according to a press release.
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The scientists measured a variety of factors, including stored fat, gene activity related to fat metabolism and lifespan.
The results showed that the life-boosting benefit did not depend on the fasting itself but on the body’s behavior after eating again.
Experts say sustainability is key when choosing a long-term weight-loss strategy. (iStock)
Study lead Peter Douglas, associate professor of molecular biology and a member of the Hamon Center for Regenerative Science and Medicine at UT Southwestern, suggested that these discoveries “shift the focus toward a neglected side of the metabolic coin – the re-feeding phase.”
“Our data suggest that the health-promoting effects of intermittent fasting are not merely a product of the fast itself, but are dependent on how the metabolic machinery recalibrates during the subsequent transition back to a fed state,” he said.
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“Our findings bridge a gap between lipid metabolism and aging research,” he added. “By targeting aging, the single greatest risk factor for human disease, we move beyond treating isolated conditions toward a preventive model of medicine that enhances quality of life for all individuals.”
Lauri Wright, director of nutrition programs at the University of South Florida’s College of Public Health, called this a “high-quality” study that adds an “important nuance to how we think about fasting and longevity.”
Intermittent fasting typically involves limiting meals to an eight-hour daily window or fasting every other day. (iStock)
The benefits of the refeeding phase after fasting were “especially interesting,” Wright, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
“The researchers showed that longevity was linked to the body’s ability to turn off fat breakdown after fasting, allowing cells to restore energy balance,” she reiterated.
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“From a scientific standpoint, that’s a meaningful shift because it suggests fasting is not just about burning fat, but about metabolic flexibility.”
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Fasting may support longevity through triggering metabolic switching, enhancing cellular repair and stress resistance and improving markers like insulin sensitivity, research shows.
Limitations and cautions
Although this study provides “important insight” on the power of refeeding, Wright noted that the findings should be approached with caution, as the study was done on worms and cannot always be translated to humans.
“Additionally, it explains how a process might work in a controlled lab condition rather than real-world eating behaviors,” she added as a limitation. “Finally, the study is short-term and doesn’t give us the long-term translation on lifespan outcomes.”
The review found intermittent fasting was barely more effective than doing nothing, according to the study authors. (iStock)
Wright cautioned that fasting is “not a magic solution for longevity, and how you eat overall matters more than when you eat.”
“I advise, first and foremost, to focus on diet quality, including a variety of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and minimally processed foods,” she said.
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For those who are considering fasting, it’s better to stick with a moderate plan — like a 12- to 14-hour overnight fast — rather than going to extremes, Wright said. After fasting, she recommends focusing on well-balanced meals.
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Several groups of people should be cautioned against fasting, according to Wright, including those with diabetes who are on insulin or hypoglycemic medications, those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, anyone with a history of eating disorders and older adults at risk of malnutrition.
Anyone considering intermittent fasting should consult with a doctor before starting.
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