Listening to Music After 70 May Cut Dementia Risk by Nearly 40%

Summary: Older adults who regularly listen to or play music may significantly lower their risk of dementia, according to a study of more than 10,800 people over age 70. 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.

Combining both activities offered an even greater protective effect against cognitive decline. Researchers suggest that engaging with music could be an accessible, enjoyable strategy to help maintain brain health in later life.

Key Facts

• Dementia Risk Drop: Always listening to music lowered dementia risk by 39%; playing instruments reduced risk by 35%.
• Better Memory: Music engagement was linked to higher overall cognitive and episodic memory scores.
• Lifestyle Impact: Findings support music as a simple, lifestyle-based intervention for brain health in aging.

Source: Monash University

Listening to music when you are over 70 years of age has been linked to a 39 per cent reduction in the risk of dementia, according to a Monash University-led study of over 10,800 older people.

The study, led by Monash honours student Emma Jaffa, and Professor Joanne Ryan, looked at the benefits of listening to music or playing music in people aged over 70, finding that always listening to music compared with never/rarely/sometimes listening to music was associated with a 39 per cent decreased risk of dementia. While playing an instrument was associated with a 35 per cent reduction in dementia risk.

This study used data from the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) study, and the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP) sub‐study and was published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

The study found that always listening to music was associated with the greatest reduction in dementia risk, with a 39 per cent lower incidence of dementia and 17 per cent lower incidence of cognitive impairment, as well as higher scores in overall cognition and episodic memory (used when recalling everyday events). While regularly engaging in both music listening and playing was associated with a 33 per cent decreased risk of dementia and 22 per cent decreased risk of cognitive impairment.

According to Ms Jaffa, the findings of the study “suggests music activities may be an accessible strategy for maintaining cognitive health in older adults, though causation cannot be established,” she said.

Population ageing has become a global public health concern due to advances in medicine and technology extending human lifespans, and this longer life expectancy has also meant an increase in the prevalence of age‐related diseases, including cognitive decline and dementia.

With no cure currently available for dementia, the importance of identifying strategies to help prevent or delay onset of the disease is critical,” senior author Professor Ryan said.

“Evidence suggests that brain ageing is not just based on age and genetics but can be influenced by one’s own environmental and lifestyle choices. Our study suggests that lifestyle-based interventions, such as listening and/or playing music can promote cognitive health.”

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About this aging, music, and dementia research news

Author: Tania Ewing
Source: Monash University
Contact: Tania Ewing – Monash University
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Open access.
“What Is the Association Between Music-Related Leisure Activities and Dementia Risk? A Cohort Study” by Emma Jaffa et al. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry

Abstract

What Is the Association Between Music-Related Leisure Activities and Dementia Risk? A Cohort Study

Objectives

To determine whether engagement in music-related leisure activities is associated with a reduced risk of dementia and cognitive impairment no dementia (CIND), as well as better cognitive wellbeing in initially cognitively healthy older adults. Here, cognitive wellbeing includes maintaining good cognitive function as well as quality of life. Potential effect modification by education was also investigated.

Methods

This study used secondary data from the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) study, and the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP) sub-study. Included were 10,893 community-dwelling Australian adults who were 70 years and older, without dementia diagnosis at recruitment to the study.

Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to determine the association between level of music engagement (listening to music, playing an instrument, and a combination of both) and dementia risk from year 3 onwards. Linear mixed models were used to investigate the association with cognitive wellbeing. Analyses adjusted for age, gender and level of education completed.

Results

Always listening to music, compared with never/rarely/sometimes, was associated with a 39% decreased risk of dementia (95% CI = 0.45,0.82, p = 0.001), and a 17% decreased risk of CIND (95% CI = 0.74, 0.92, p = 0.001). Playing an instrument (often/always) was associated with a 35% decreased dementia risk only (95% CI = 0.42,0.99, p = 0.047). Participants who both listened to and played music had a 33% decreased dementia risk (95% CI = 0.51,0.89, p = 0.006) and a 22% decreased CIND risk (95% CI = 0.65,0.92, p = 0.004).

Always listening to music was associated with better global cognition and memory over time (p < 0.001, p = 0.004, respectively), but not the other cognitive domains. Engagement in music-related activities was not associated with changes in subjective cognitive wellbeing. In general, findings were stronger in individuals with over 16 years of education.

Conclusion

These results highlight music as a potential promising, accessible strategy to help reduce cognitive impairment and delay the onset of dementia in later life.