Delhi

Playing Musical Instruments Keeps Brains Younger in Older Adults, Study Finds

By Editorial·16 June 2026·1 min read

A photorealistic wide shot of an elderly Indian man with graying hair, sitting in a sun-drenched living room in Delhi, j...

A scientific study reported in New Delhi on June 16, 2026, has revealed that learning and regularly practising a musical instrument in later life can keep the brain younger.

The research found that engaging with music helps older adults preserve their memory and reduces age-related brain shrinkage, particularly in the putamen and cerebellum regions of the brain.

The four-year-long study was conducted by neuroscience researchers at Japan’s Kyoto University. The researchers focused on the putamen and the cerebellum, which are brain regions related to memory and learning that normally shrink and become less active as people age.

According to the study, elderly participants with an average age of 73 underwent an initial four-month music training period. Those who practised a musical instrument for the first time during this period showed improvements in cognitive performance tied to memory and putamen function.

Following the initial training, about half of the participants continued to practise their instruments for more than three years. The remaining participants stopped playing and pursued other hobbies instead.

After four years, the researchers conducted MRI scans and cognitive assessments on the participants. The scans revealed that those who had stopped practising music experienced declines in verbal working memory and a reduction in grey matter volume within the right putamen.

In contrast, the participants who continued playing their musical instruments did not experience the same decline in memory performance or the same degree of shrinkage in the putamen.

Kaoru Sekiyama, the study's corresponding author, stated that the team was surprised to find that the effects of starting and continuing an instrument were concentrated in these two brain areas. Sekiyama noted that starting in old age has major benefits and is an effective way to prevent age-related decline, especially for those who struggle with physical activities due to body pain.