Music – Food for the Soul

Music moves us—emotionally, physically, and sometimes even without words. But it can do even more: Playing music yourself challenges your brain in many different ways. Listening, feeling, moving, and remembering all intertwine—like mental training that happens almost incidentally.

Especially as we age, the question arises: Are there ways to slow down natural mental decline? New findings suggest that making music can do just that—even if you start late in life.

Musical training has measurable effects

Previous studies have already shown that learning music can trigger noticeable changes in the brain even in old age—for example, in a study of 132 older adults (ages 62–78) who showed improvements in memory and language processing after just six months of piano lessons or active listening training. Among the piano students in particular, the volume of certain brain regions remained stable—an indication that active music-making counteracts brain atrophy.

A recent study by Zhang et al. (2025, PLOS Biology) takes this a step further: Using functional MRI scans, the researchers investigated how long-term musical training affects language comprehension in older adults. 

The results:

1)  Older musicians exhibited more youthful patterns of brain activity than their peers without musical experience.

2) Particularly when understanding speech in noisy environments, they activated fewer compensatory brain regions—a sign of greater neural efficiency.

3) These effects suggest that playing music not only trains the brain but also builds mental reserves that cushion the brain against aging.

Why does music have such a powerful effect on the brain?

Making music is a highly complex activity, as it requires:

• Concentration and memory to retain notes and sequences
• Fine motor skills, especially for keyboard or string instruments
• Auditory perception, i.e., listening closely
• Emotional processing, since music always evokes feelings

This simultaneous activation of many brain areas is likely the key to why musical training is so effective. The brain remains plastic—it continues to form connections, builds up reserves, and compensates for losses more effectively.

It's never too late to learn an instrument

An encouraging finding: Even people with no prior experience benefit—whether from playing the piano, guitar, singing in a choir, or drumming. The key is that the activity takes place regularly (ideally several times a week) and is enjoyable. Even actively and consciously listening to music can be helpful, provided it is done in a structured and focused manner.

Part of a healthy lifestyle

Making music alone is, of course, not a cure-all. But as part of a holistic lifestyle—along with exercise, a healthy diet, social interaction, and sufficient sleep—it can make an important contribution to maintaining mental health.

In addition, music often reduces stress, lifts the mood, and boosts motivation—which in turn supports learning and memory. Especially for older adults with early-stage cognitive decline, musical activity can therefore be more than just a pleasant hobby: it becomes a form of therapy with genuine preventive potential.

Conclusion: Music as medicine for the mind

Making music challenges and stimulates the brain in a unique way. It strengthens cognitive reserves, keeps the mind agile, and counteracts age-related decline. And best of all: it’s never too late to start.

Whether in private lessons, at a music school, in a choir, or simply at home with a digital keyboard—playing music regularly is good for your brain. And in the process, something often emerges that is at least as valuable as neural activation: joy.

Sources

1. Zhang, L., Ross, B., Du, Y., & Alain, C. (2025). Long-term musical training can protect against age-related upregulation of neural activity in speech-in-noise perception. PLOS Biology, 23(7): e3003247

2. University of Geneva / EPFL (2023). Musical practice slows cognitive decline.

3. Román-Caballero, R., Arnedo, M., Triviño, M., & Lupiáñez, J. (2018). Musical practice as an enhancer of cognitive function in healthy aging – A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 9:113. 

4. Pacific Neuroscience Institute – How Music Prevents Cognitive Decline

5. Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) – Does music benefit the brain?