We all want to stay sharp-witted as we age, which explains the recent proliferation of brain games and puzzles. But newly published research suggests a low-tech way of retaining our mental agility: Learn to play a musical instrument.
According to this research, people who spend many hours in the practice room not only process information unusually efficiently, but they also do a superior job of not letting occasional errors derail them.
These findings “suggest that playing a musical instrument might improve the ability to monitor our behavior and adjust our responses effectively when needed,” writes a research team led by cognitive neuroscientist Ines Jentzsch of the University of St. Andrews. “As these processes are amongst the first to be affected by cognitive aging, our evidence could promote musical activity as a realistic intervention to slow or even prevent (one type of) age-related decline.” Read full story – click here.
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