Overview
- Monash University researchers analyzed ASPREE and ALSOP data from 10,893 Australians aged 70 and older, with a median follow‑up of about 4.7 years and expert‑panel dementia diagnoses.
- Always listening to music was associated with a 39% lower risk of dementia and a 17% lower risk of cognitive impairment no dementia compared with never, rarely, or sometimes listening.
- Playing an instrument often or always was linked to a 35% lower dementia risk, while engaging in both listening and playing was associated with a 33% lower dementia risk and a 22% lower CIND risk.
- Consistent music listening was associated with better trajectories in global cognition and episodic memory over time; instrument playing was not tied to significant changes on these tests.
- The study’s authors note limits including self‑reported music exposure, possible reverse causation, and a healthier‑than‑average cohort, and they report stronger associations for listening among those with 16 or more years of education.