Experts indicate that keeping the brain active through activities such as reading, solving puzzles, and learning new skills is generally associated with reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia with age.
But music, according to neuroscience specialists, remains one of the most effective means of stimulating the brain, especially when dealing with it is not limited to passive listening, but includes active interaction such as singing, playing instruments, or dancing.
Neurologist Baiping Chen explained in a video on TikTok that the real benefit of music does not come from listening alone, saying that if that were enough, "everyone who listens to music would be a genius."
He explained that active listening or interaction with music is the most important factor, as singing, playing an instrument, or dancing activates multiple areas of the brain at the same time, which enhances neural connectivity and increases "brain plasticity," that is, its ability to adapt and change.
He added that studies indicate that musical training may leave structural changes in the brain, such as strengthening the connections between the two hemispheres of the brain, and improving working memory and auditory processing in trainees.
At the same time, he stressed that benefiting from music does not necessarily require mastering it, but can be achieved by making it an interactive activity, such as learning a new musical instrument, participating in group singing, or dancing to complex rhythms.
He warned that passively listening to music while engaged in other activities, such as using the phone or driving, does not achieve the same effect, as it does not require much mental effort.
These recommendations are based on a study published in the journal NeuroImage: Reports, which examined the effect of musical training on older adults.
The study included 132 retirees aged between 62 and 78, who participated in a six-month training program that included learning to play the piano and developing musical awareness.
The results showed that participants experienced an improvement in brain plasticity and an increase in gray matter volume, along with an improvement in working memory performance of approximately 6%.
The researchers concluded that regular musical training may contribute to supporting brain health in later stages of life, by enhancing its ability to adapt and reorganize.
