The
Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH) is an independent collaborative of
scientists, health professionals, scholars, and policy experts from around the
world who are working in areas of brain health related to human cognition. The
GCBH focuses on brain health relating to people’s ability to think and reason
as they age, including aspects of memory, perception, and judgment.
In a recent report, the GCBH focused on useful information for
men and women age 50-plus, adults in different stages of health, and caregivers
as it relates to music. Music’s effects on the brain start in infancy, and much
of their discussion applies to people of all ages.
The recommendations are based on the best available evidence to
date, coming from observational studies and randomized controlled trials, as
well as reviews of the literature published in peer-reviewed journals.
Music is enjoyed by people of all ages around the world. Song
and rhythm are a universal language that bridges cultures and dates to ancient
times. A vulture-bone flute found inside a cave in Europe is thought to be over
40,000 years old. Greek philosophers mused about the healing effects of music
on the body and soul.
You don’t need to be a scientist to know that music can engage
us physically and emotionally. The right song might prompt you to tap your toes
or snap your fingers. It might inspire you to hum or sing or get up and dance.
Music can spark memories from many years in the past – bringing back sights,
smells and feelings from when we first heard the song that is now blasting
through a wireless speaker.
For many people, music is a great pleasure that brings
well-being and happiness. It can encourage a sense of calm and fight
depression. It can stimulate social bonding.
These remarkable properties arise from music’s capacity to
engage many different areas of the brain in a coordinated fashion in real-time.
Science has shown that music stimulates different areas of the brain, which
influence how we experience music in our thoughts and feelings. Researchers
have also developed evidence that music enables different parts of the brain to
operate in sync, bringing further dimensions to the experience.
Health science research suggests that music can enhance a sense
of well-being, reduce stress, facilitate interpersonal connections, modulate
the cardiovascular system, improve balance, and boost the immune system. And
from a risk-benefit perspective, music can help achieve these health benefits
without any of the adverse effects that are sometimes associated with drug
treatment. So, in addition to providing fun and pleasure, music has the
advantage of being a safe and inexpensive health booster.
Intriguingly, research shows that memories of music are durable
over years and can often remain intact, even in cases of dementia in advanced
Alzheimer’s Disease when other memories are beyond reach.
Music-based treatments are being used in therapy for dementia,
where it has been shown to help reduce stress, promote morale, and encourage
interpersonal connections. Music-making is also being used in motor therapies
for people who experience a stroke, where it has helped people regain speech
and control over their lives. .
