Listening to music linked to 39 percent lower dementia risk · News ⟋ RAA Monash University study found that regular music listening markedly reduced risks of dementia and cognitive decline.Listening to music could significantly reduce the risk of dementia in older adults, according to new research led by Melbourne’s Monash University.
The study, published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, examined data from more than 10,800 people aged over 70, sourced from the ASPREE and ALSOP longitudinal studies.
Researchers found that older adults who always listened to music had a 39 percent lower risk of developing dementia compared to those who never, rarely or only sometimes listened. They also showed a 17 percent reduced incidence of cognitive impairment and stronger performance in overall cognition and episodic memory.
Playing a musical instrument was linked to a 35 percent decrease in dementia risk, while regularly engaging in both listening and playing corresponded with a 33 percent reduction in dementia and a 22 percent reduction in cognitive impairment.
Led by honours student Emma Jaffa and Professor Joanne Ryan, the study emphasises that while the findings cannot prove causation, they point to music as a potentially accessible lifestyle strategy for supporting cognitive health in ageing populations.
Read the study in full.
Photo: Chris Boland