Playing piano or singing in a choir keeps your brain in tune for life

SINGING in a choir or playing the piano throughout your life could help protect your memory and keep your mind sharp in older age, a study suggests.

An ongoing study of more than 25,000 people followed for more than a decade has found a link between lifelong musicality and superior cognitive function.

Scientists at the University of Exeter reviewed data from more than a thousand adults aged 40 and above taking part in the Protect study, which aims to understand how the brain ages.

They looked at how much experience the people had in music and investigated their brain health, including mental processes that help in planning, focusing, remembering, and juggling tasks – known as executive function.

The researchers found playing an instrument – notably the piano – to be associated with improved memory and executive function, while singing was also linked to better brain health.

Anne Corbett, professor of dementia research at the University of Exeter, said: “There is considerable evidence for the benefit of music group activities for individuals with dementia, and this approach could be extended as part of a healthy ageing package for older adults to enable them to proactively reduce their risk and to promote brain health.”

Stuart Douglas, a 78-year-old accordion player from Cornwall, has played all his life and says he “still plays regularly”. “Playing in the band also keeps my calendar full, as we often perform in public,” he said.

Caroline Scates, deputy director of admiral nurse development at Dementia UK, said the study’s results “are positive, and echo similar research into the benefits of both listening to and playing music for people living with dementia”.