US EditionMusical Training May Hold The Key To Fighting Age-Related Brain Decline
CANADA AND CHINA, JUL 15 – Older musicians with at least 32 years of training maintain youthful brain connectivity patterns that improve speech perception in noisy environments, according to a study of 74 participants.
- Researchers from China and Canada published a study in PLOS Biology on July 15, 2025, comparing brain activity in older musicians, older non-musicians, and young non-musicians during a speech-in-noise task.
- The study aimed to explore how long-term musical training might reduce age-related decline in understanding speech in noisy environments by examining neural connectivity patterns.
- Using fMRI to scan 74 participants, the study found that older musicians showed more youthful brain activity and connectivity, correlated with better performance, while older non-musicians exhibited increased neural effort.
- Dr. Lei Zhang emphasized that maintaining a positive lifestyle can enhance how aging individuals manage changes in cognitive function, and encouraged starting and consistently engaging in fulfilling activities like playing a musical instrument at any stage of life.
- The findings suggest musical training builds cognitive reserve that may protect against neural aging, supporting further research into lifestyle interventions to preserve cognitive function in older adults.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Playing a musical instrument keeps the brain young and slows down the decline in the ability to perceive the speech you are facing with age (ANSA)
The Independent
The Independent (US)Playing an instrument may help protect brain against ageing, study finds
Older musicians show more ‘youth-like’ brain patterns and better hearing in noisy places, researchers find
Musical Training May Hold The Key To Fighting Age-Related Brain Decline
Older musicians’ brains process speech more like young adults — hinting that lifelong musical training could help fight age-related decline The post Musical Training May Hold The Key To Fighting Age-Related Brain Decline appeared first on Study Finds.
Scientists Say Learning Music Can Reverse Brain Aging, Even in Older Adults
Recent research indicates that older adults who play musical instruments tend to have healthier brains. One investigation examined the impacts of decades of music practice, while another focused on learning new instruments later in life. In both studies, engaging in music was linked to better brain health and a decrease in age-related cognitive decline. The [...] The post Scientists Say Learning Music Can Reverse Brain Aging, Even in Older Adult…
Long-term musical training can protect against age-related upregulation of neural activity in speech-in-noise perception
Long-term musical training can provide additional neural resources to help cope with the effect of aging. This study describes the neural mechanisms behind this observation, showing that cognitive reserve acquired through long-term music training holds back age-related neural recruitment during speech-in-noise perception.
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