Scientists have learned about the effect of playing musical instruments on brain function in the elderly

A study by the University of Sheffield and the University of Western Sydney has shown that improvising to music can help improve cognitive skills in the elderly. This was reported by Medical Xpress magazine on December 17.

Led by Jennifer MacRici, a doctor from the University of Sheffield's School of Languages, Arts and Societies, scientists have for the first time compared how music creation methods such as improvisation and playback can affect learning and cognitive abilities in the elderly.

The study involved beginners who had been undergoing various types of musical training for a year. In the process of improvisation, people are asked to create a new melody, and during playback, they are asked to repeatedly play a given melody. The results showed that both methods can improve brain function, but the improvisation method is more beneficial.

MacRici emphasized that music brings a number of benefits to people's overall health and well-being. However, she noted that some are still arguing about whether learning to play musical instruments can improve cognitive and motor skills, especially later in life.

"Our study is one of the longest in this regard, and it adds to the evidence that learning to play a musical instrument at a more mature age — even if you've never played an instrument before — can improve brain function. It is important to note that we have established a relationship between the development of a person's musical skills and the development of their general cognitive abilities," she added.

Among other things, scientists have studied whether playing a physical musical instrument or a virtual one affects cognitive abilities. According to the results, there are no noticeable differences, which is said to be encouraging for those who want to use digital technologies in the teaching process.

"The difference in results that we observe lies in the methods of teaching music, regardless of whether a real or virtual instrument is used," MacRici concluded.

On November 17, Science Daily magazine reported on the impact of daily music listening on reducing the risk of dementia. According to the study, people who regularly listened to music had a 39% reduced risk of developing dementia, and playing musical instruments reduced the risk of the disease by 35%.

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