(NewsNation) — Older adults who engage with music may significantly lower their risk of dementia, according to a new study.
Researchers at Monash University led a study of 10,800 people over the age of 70 and looked at the benefits of music in their lives. They found that frequently listening to music compared to either listening only sometimes or never listening to music lowers the risk of dementia by 39%.
Those who played an instrument saw a decreased dementia risk of at least 35%. Regularly engaging in both activities was associated with a 33% decreased risk of dementia and 22% decreased risk of cognitive impairment.
According to the World Health Organization, around 57 million people worldwide have dementia. Research done at NYU’s Langone Health showed that around a million Americans are expected to develop dementia by 2060.
The researchers said that with no cure for dementia available at the moment, it is critical to find strategies that can help prevent or delay the onset of the disease.
“Evidence suggests that brain aging is not just based on age and genetics but can be influenced by one’s own environmental and lifestyle choices,” Joanne Ryan, one of the study’s authors, said.