Older adults

Icon

Neurodegeneration

From approximately age 60, the brain's grey matter and neuroplasticity begins to decrease and consequently, functions such as memory begin to decline - the natural aging process. If this is sped up, due to genes or environmantal experiences throughout life, it can lead to neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia. Unlike neurodevelopment, neurodegeneration can look different in everyone based on the life they've led. Below is a general timeline of the brain aging process. 

Structural

Structural

functional

Functional

Biggest brains

At approximately age 25, the brain has fully grown and matured, and is at its largest size. 

25

Maximum 'smarts'

Sensory, motor, cognitive, socio-emotional and their behavioural functions are at their highest, however skills can still be learnt and perfected! 

Big brains

At approximately age 40, the grey matter size begins to gradually decrease all round the brain, particularly in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. The myelin - wrapped around neurons for faster communication - begins to get thinner, decreasing the speed of the brain. 

40

Slower 'thinking'

Cognitive skills, such as making new memories, begin to gradually decrease and 'thoughts' begin to slow - the processing speed decreases. 

Slightly smaller brains

From around age 60 to 70, the brain's grey matter begins to decrease more quickly, most notably in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum. The myelin continues to thin. 

60

Slower 'moving' 

A more rapid slowing of cognitive skills, now including the other executive functions, alongside decreasing movement coordination and hearing, occurs. This increases the risk of 'mild cognitive impairment' - diagnosable decline as the first stage of many neurodevelopmental disorders. 

Even smaller brains

Grey matter continues to decrease across the brain, alongside myelin, creating an overall smaller brain. 

80

Slower brain 

Sensory, motor, cognitive and socio-emotional skills are all slowed. Neurodegenerative disorders, most present at this age and beyond, amplify this decrease. 

Icon

... with Musical Instrument Training

Professional musicians

Studies of older professionals suggest that the age of starting, alongside the length of, training can predict how well they maintain their cognitive skills throughout the aging process, or 'cognitive reserve'. Evidence suggests older musicians have less grey matter reduction and increased neuroplasticity in the key areas commonly affected by aging, such as the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum, and therefore, maintain faster brain function for longer. In fact, it is believed that life-long musical training may decrease the risk of dementia by up to 36%. 

Music therapy

Music therapy, the use of music to enhance brain health, is commonly used as a non-pharmalogical intervention for people of all ages. In older adults, evidence suggests this short-term training can increase the brains activation and help to sustain grey matter, particularly in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, which naturally decreases with age. This leads to improved cognitive skills. In fact, one study suggests the highly-engaging, novelty nature of short-term training may have more benefits than long-term training, although other studies disagree. 

Due to less research being available on the brains of older professional musicians, only the key age-related brain areas are mentioned below. 

Accordion
  • Maintained 'hearing' and spatial awareness
    • Maintained 'hearing' and spatial awareness

    - Somatosensory cortex - increased activation --> improved visual and spatial skills 

    - Primary auditory cortex - increased activation and connection to other sensory and motor regions, increased grey matter --> improved 'hearing'

    This evidence suggests that older musicans may maintain their auditory and spatial skill further into life, refelcting their increased use throughout life. 

  • Maintained coordination and balance
    • Maintained coordination and balance

    Cerebellum - increased activation, increased grey matter --> improved coordination and balance 

    This evidence suggests that older professionals may maintain their motor coordination and balance for longer than non-musical peers, preventing the risk of falls. 

  • Maintained executive functions and language
    • Maintained executive functions and language

    - Prefrontal cortex - increased activation, increased grey matter --> improved, and maintained, higher-order cognitive skills such as:

    • Executive functions - inhibition, working memory, cognitive flexibility all evidenced to be increased
    • Language skills - commonly decreased with age 
    • Processing speed - faster 'thinking' maintained 

    - Cingulate cortex - increased grey matter --> improved control of cognitive skills in complex tasks 

    - Hippocampus - increased activation, increased grey matter --> improved memory making and keeping 

    This evidence suggests that older musicians have more control over their cognitive skills, the maintenance of memory particularly important considering its large being decline common with aging. 

     

  • Maintained emotional regulation
    • Maintained emotional regulation

    - Prefrontal cortex - increased activation, increased grey matter --> increased emotional regulation and memory 

    - Cingulate cortex - increased grey matter --> increased emotional regulation and decision making 

    This evidence suggests that older professionals maintain the emotional intelligence they have developed throughout life, allowing for sustained interpersonal relationships. 

  • Maintained conflict resolution
    • Maintained conflict resolution

    - Prefrontal cortex - increased activation, increased grey matter --> increased emotional regulation and higher-order cognitive function 

    - Cingulate cortex - increased grey matter --> increased decision making, aiding in conflict resolution

    This evidence suggests that professional musicians may maintain their intelligence, both emotional and 'smarts' wise, throughout life, aiding in the maintenace of interpersonal relationships, and overall, 'smoother' aging. 

What about older adults with neurodegenerative disorders?

Dementia

Dementia is the umbrella term used to describe disorders that decrease 'thinking', such as Alzheimer's disease. The risk of dementia increases with age, as our brains naturally lose their structure and function. Researchers believe dementia is a result of accelerated brain loss in key brain areas: 

- Prefrontal cortex - decreased activation and grey matter --> decreased executive functions such as memory 

- Hippocampus - decreased activation and grey matter --> decreased memory formation and emotional regulation 

- Cerebellum - decreased activation and grey matter --> decreased coordination and balance 

As discussed above, musical instrument training has been seen to play a preventative role in neurodegeneration, maintaining the activation and grey matter of these affected regions in older musicians, decreasing their risk of developing dementia by up to 36%. Therefore, early musical education may have the potential to decrease the prevalence of dementia in future generations, both beneficial societally and economically (dementia costs predicted to double in the next two decades). 

Parkinson's

Parkinson's disease has symptoms of uncontrolled shaky and stiff muscle movement, and is believed to be caused by accelerated degeneration of the basal ganglia - responsible for the planning of movement and the stopping of unwanted movements.

Although not yet found in older musicians, research in younger adults suggests that long-term musical training may increase the activation and grey matter of the basal ganglia, increasing its function. Therefore, early musical education may have to potential to prevent, or slow, the degeneration responsible for this disease, decreasing its impact on the individual and society. 

Icon

How could this benefit neurodegeneration & education?

As discussed above, evidence suggests that musical instrument training may slow down brain aging and maintain brain health into later life. It may also prevent, or at least slow, the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia. Research suggests that the earlier this training begins, the longer these benefits last. Therefore, incorporating musical training into early education may not only enhance the brain health of children now but also benefit their wellbeing into late adulthood, ultimately benefiting both society and the economy. 

Icon

Read more about some of the studies mentioned ...

- James' train the brain with music (TBM): brain plasticity and cognitive benefits induced by musical training in elderly people in Germany and Switzerland (click here) - talks about neuroplasticity in older adults, and a specific study of short-term piano training

- Bleibel's the effect of music therapy on cognitive functions in patients with Alzheimer's disease (click here) - discusses the effect of short-term training in dementia

- Hanna-Pladdy's the relation between instrumental musical activity and cognitive aging (click here) - compares older musicians with <10 and 10+ years of training. 

- Amer's do older professional musicians have cognitive advantages? (click here) - compares the cognitive skills of musicians with long-term training and their non-musical peers 

Icon

What evidence is there for the role of music education in brain health throughout life?

Children and Adolescents

Children and Adolescents

CLICK HERE
Adults

Adults

CLICK HERE
Older Adults

Older Adults

CLICK HERE
Feedback here