🌅 Reduce Your Risk of Dementia with Music

SOURCE

Jaffa et al. (2025)

WHAT TO KNOW

• A new study of 10,800 healthy adults in Australia aged 70 and older found consistently listening to music is associated with a 39% lower risk of developing dementia and 17% lower incidence of cognitive impairment. Older people who listen to music most days, compared to those who sometimes, rarely, or never do, also had higher overall cognitive scores and better episodic memory. Playing an instrument was also associated with a 35% lower risk of dementia and improved memory scores.

WHY IT MATTERS

• The researchers say their study is only observational, so it can’t prove causation. However, the findings still provide intriguing evidence and suggest music is an inexpensive strategy for elderly people to reduce their risk of dementia and cognitive impairment. The work also adds to the body of evidence suggesting lifestyle choices may shape cognitive aging.

CONNECT THE DOTS

• “Dementia” is a catchall term for a group of diseases that impact cognitive functioning, affecting 57 million people worldwide. That figure is expected to nearly double every 20 years, reaching 78 million in 2030 and 139 million in 2050. There is currently no cure for dementia, costing global economies around $1.3 trillion annually in care costs. The annual cost is expected to reach $2.8 trillion by 2030.