Daily music listening linked to big drop in dementia risk

ScienceDaily ^ | 11/17/2025 | Monash University

[Omnivore-Dan]

Older adults who regularly listen to or play music appear to have significantly lower risks of dementia and cognitive decline. The data suggests that musical engagement could be a powerful, enjoyable tool for supporting cognitive resilience in aging.

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TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Music/Entertainment; Science
KEYWORDS: dementia; dementiamusic; health; music

[Omnivore-Dan]

I listen to jazz and classic rock every day, probably a good hour or more. Usually while cooking with a beer or two.

[SaxxonWoods]

This is why I play music for hours most days and play 4 gigs a month plus go to jam sessions where the brain gets a workout following other players on songs I often don’t know.

[Psychedelic-Surrealist Artist]

Good to know. Playing music? Even better! I’ve played electric guitar for close to 60 years. I also play some drums and percussion. I recently bough a conga drum, which my wife encouraged me to do. I’ve been learning a number of traditional Afro-Cuban beats and patterns. I decided to get a second conga drum, which honestly I didn’t really NEED, but I told myself— and my wife— that learning new things helps to keep you mentally sharp.... she agreed! Now THAT, guys, is an awesome wife!

[madison10]

Guess we will need to crank up the Victrola.😉

[Omnivore-Dan]

What instrument(s)?
Todd Rundgren: I don’t want to work, I want to bang on the drums all day.

Pretty much sums it up for me. I love drums and bang on everything in the kitchen with spoons, knives, kettles, pans, jars, you name it. I have driven more people crazy and out of the kitchen since I was a kid. I do have a nice Pearl kit, but I have to use them outside when it’s nice. Makes the windows and things fall of of shelves. I don’t only love drums though, I can’t really think of an instrument that can’t sound good when played well.

[iontheball]

Ask yourself why humans have always had such an insatiable desire to listen to frequency sound waves crafted in pleasing arrangements, if such is not the language of the soul?

[TornadoAlley3]

Lonely children need more music.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Joe! It’s great to have you join us today. How’s YOUR dementia coming along?

[dfwgator]

Information is not knowledge.
Knowledge is not wisdom.
Wisdom is not truth.
Truth is not beauty.
Beauty is not love.
Love is not music.
Music is THE BEST.

-Frank Zappa

[Omnivore-Dan]

I have a nice Pearl set that resides in my buddies basement studio, a set of bongos too. Not as fast as I used to be, but a bit more accurate I think.

[MeanWestTexan]

I have a dedicated listening room in a literal bomb shelter under my pool house (bomb shelter built by prior owner).

Spent far too much time correcting absorption of frequencies, reflections, dispersion, etc.

And far too much money on obscure components.

Sounds sublime.

My wife hates it because there is no talking in the listening room.

Probably helps with dementia because routing of cables was a serious mental exercise.

[SaxxonWoods]

I play fretless electric bass and sing. I'm very lucky to play in a band with a “cake” low volume hotel lounge gig. Rock, country, blues, pop, jazz standards, bluegrass, old and new, etc. Violin, percussion, guitar, bass. All 4 members sing. I did the road thing when young, now it's all for enjoyment and good for the brain. I go to jam sessions too and follow people on songs I may or may not know. Great brain exercise. Got to jam with a “rake and scrape” band in the Bahamas, the rhythms there are off the hook!

[fidelis]

Ask yourself why humans have always had such an insatiable desire to listen to frequency sound waves crafted in pleasing arrangements, if such is not the language of the soul?

Mrs. fidelis and I discuss this often. Good music is a wonder, and it seems there is something placed deep in man's soul in which it resonates. It's more than just pleasing sounds.

[Omnivore-Dan]

Must be something to that. In addition to music I love the sound of a revved up high performance engine.

[willk]

“Lonely children need more music.”

I got that😀. Yesterday they were saying loneliness as a child may contribute to dementia.

[SaxxonWoods]

Check this guy, wild and tame animals completely taken by his playing/singing.

https://www.bing.com/search?pglt=427&q=who+is+the+guy+on+youtube+who+plays+music+for+wild+animals%3F&cvid=926b066ad7654c26a92f15526cbeca4f&gs_lcrp=EgRlZGdlKgYIABBFGDkyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQ6wcYQNIBCTIwNTExajBqMagCALACAA&FORM=ANNTA1&PC=DCTS

[dagunk]

Hah - I’m ahead of the curve (grin).

Couple hours a day minimum - Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Kristofferson, CCR, Krokus, Bonamassa, Grand Funk RR, Hagar, Joe Walsh, others, occasional Tchaikovsky, Beethoven.

Yeah me seventies....

[dagunk]

Must be something to that. In addition to music I love the sound of a revved up high performance engine.

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Revved-up High-Performance IS music.

[fidelis]

I’m reminded of a touching video I once saw of an old Black man in a nursing home who was non-conversant and almost non-responsive. His family members told his caregivers that in his youth, the man had really loved music, so they got the idea to find some recordings of the music the man had listened to when he was young and put some headphones on the man so he could listen to them. Immediately the man’s face changed; he smiled from ear to ear, started singing along and tapping his feet. It was really amazing to see.

[SaxxonWoods]

“Must be something to that. In addition to music I love the sound of a revved up high performance engine.”

In my late teens we spend hours and money getting just the right sound out of dual exhausts. Smitty Steelpacks, Thrush, etc. My favorite was Walker Continentals, stick one end in the ground, pour in a family-sized coke, let sit overnight.

Heaven.