Piano lessons may stop Alzheimer’s from progressing in the elderly

Learning a new instrument has always been an activity related to youth and brain plasticity. But now researchers have shown that piano lessons can improve older adults’ brain health and prevent the onset of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

The results show that it is possible to achieve significant gains in quality of life in just six months in patients who deal with music every day. Evidence points to the therapeutic potential of the activity.

In the study carried out in Germany and Switzerland, 120 volunteers aged between 62 and 78 were divided into two classes. In the first year, in addition to weekly lessons of one hour, 30 minutes of piano practice per day was given.

Second, he studied only music theory, including information about genres, instruments, and composers. At home, the group was tasked with listening, reading, and preparing presentations, but they never practiced with the keys.

Six months later, the researchers discovered that one area of ​​the piano-playing participants’ brain, the fornix, was more stable than the others. This region is associated with the neurodegeneration of the organ, and changes in its functioning are indicative of diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

The results show that practicing an instrument that requires concentration and routine can help brain function. Scientists already knew that active duty could reverse the body’s natural decline with age, but the new study provides more concrete evidence of the phenomenon.

It also shows that a return to education can be a positive intervention for patients with neurodegenerative diseases, even the elderly. But the researchers say more data is needed to confirm whether the positive effects are lasting.

ARTICLE Frontiers in the Neuroscience of Aging: doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2022.817889