Why That Old Clarinet Benefits Your Brain

Playing a musical instrument in older adulthood might help the brain.

Source: decrand/Pixabay

Imagine a world without music. There are no high school marching bands, no commercial jingles, and no need for Grammy Awards. It’s a rather dreary thought, yes?

Fortunately, music exists throughout cultures and enriches lives, something that has been known for years. “We’ve known for centuries that music has health benefits, going back to the early philosophers and thinkers,” said Julene Johnson, a cognitive neuroscientist at the Institute for Health & Aging at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) (Vanchieri, 2024).

According to a study from earlier this year (Vetere et al., 2024), melodies may also help older brains, particularly when they are the ones playing them. All in all, the authors found a clear correlation between cognitive performance and musical variables. Playing an instrument was related to higher working memory and executive functioning, and, in addition, a positive association was found between singing and the latter variable.

The study, focusing on the brains of people over 40, had a sample with an average age of 68. About 83% of participants were female, and nearly 89% of participants played a musical instrument.

Given their findings, the authors recommended that public health interventions for productive aging and dementia prevention include musical engagement. “In particular,” they wrote, “adults may be encouraged to take part in community music or singing groups or to reengage with an instrument they have played in former years.”

Anne Corbett, a professor at the University of Exeter and a co-author of the study, related the importance of brain exercise. If workouts at the gym foster brain health, music can also be added to the mix. "Our brain is a muscle like anything else, and it needs to be exercised,” she said. “Learning to read music is a bit like learning a new language; it's challenging" (Foster, 2024).

UCSF is part of the Sound Health Network initiative, working on research and public awareness of the musical effects on wellness. The collaborative venture includes the National Institutes of Health, the Kennedy Center, and opera legend Renée Fleming. “There is all of this potential for music to help improve lives,” Johnson told the AARP Bulletin (Vanchieri, 2024).

According to Levitan (2020), one hypothesis is that music helps the brain to adapt and rewire, a benefit that can aid older brains. Contrary to earlier beliefs, older brains are neuroplastic, capable of the same re-circuiting that young brains often do. In fact, music may not be the only avenue to bring about this effect. He argued that adults engaged in the creative arts, whether it be dancing or sculpting, are exercising their brains. In doing so, people are prompting their brains “in interesting ways all along because every project you undertake requires new adaptations.”

After that gym workout, maybe it’s time to pick up that old clarinet or keyboard that has been collecting dust and take your brain for a musical journey. It may just keep your brain humming.