Playing an instrument or singing is linked to good cognitive health in later life, study says

The study, led by researchers at the University of Exeter and supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, involved more than 1,100 people in the UK aged over 40, with a mean age of 68. It compared cognitive data of those who had engaged in music at some point in their lives with those who hadn't.

Playing the piano (or keyboard) appeared to be particularly beneficial, and brass or woodwind instruments also scored positively, demonstrating the ‘multiple cognitive demands’ of playing an instrument. Simply listening to music appeared not to help brain health in the longer term.

According to professor Anne Corbett, lead researcher, the findings showed that 'Playing a musical instrument was associated with significantly better performance in working memory and executive function’. Significant associations were also found between singing and executive function. 'This study does suggest that it could be part of a much wider lifestyle approach to improving brain health as you age’, she concluded.