Music and the age. Age and the music.

Despite physical and cognitive deficits, music has the capacity to break down barriers.” Although hearing, working memory, and other cognitive skills decline with age, studies show people who participate in a little musical practice may be able to gain or maintain these skills. So In a 2018 study, researchers found musicians have “younger-looking brains.” This is of course big topic and views can be different. My view is that from young to senior age music is inspiring, the best possible way to fill up our daily being with good emotions. The best possible way to mobilize our creativeness.Wikiloops giving us best possible option for that. Will be happy to hear your view for this.Great day ahead.
[img]https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.INlUF9ftlf_HkUdqbGctOgAAAA?pid=ImgDet&w=199&h=199&c=7&dpr=1.5[/img]

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Krasimir, your photo says "Music is not what I do, it's who I am". Totally agree with that.

I don't know anyone who does not like music, even if they don't often listen. I've always loved music but for various reasons have rarely practised or played music. Since discovering wikiloops I've practised and played more than any time previously and feel much more like I am being myself. When I look back, I always felt best when expressing myself. This includes writing, and writing lyrics is the most enjoyable part of writing, I reckon because of underlying tune in my head, or simply writing to an existing tune outside my head.

Disclosure: I don't express myself well in conversation but I NEED to express myself, so lyrics or music enables that because I can take longer over it than I can in conversation back and forth. I think this will be similar for many older folk as we slow down, hence part of why it's good for old brains.

Finally, music makes us happy, even if playing the blues it relieves some of those blues. And happiness is surely a wonderful medicine. :);):D:o:W

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I think Krasimir and BB6 got it right.
There is something in music and in making music that is just that little bit special and sets it apart from other activities.

It`s feeling emotions, expression of emotion, it`s creative, it`s (like language) communicative, it`s an outlet for frustrations and happiness and it can be - in music therapy - a help in dealing with other aspects of your personality ... somehow it`s one of the few things that is a representation of what being human means.

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I can't comment on the science of it, but it does make sense. Practicing music definitely gets the grey matters working.
And it is surely better for the geriatric mind to play an instrument than sitting in front of daytime TV...

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As far as cognitive skills or therapy is concerned, I'd have to draw a distinction between listening to music and participating or creating it - one is passive, the other is active. I know they try to stimulate forgotten memories for old folk by playing the music of their youth, I think that would just make me sad :( I'd prefer to be given a new instrument to learn. I'd like to be a 90 year old cellist.

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just a few pubmed snippets (various articles):
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There are studies showing correlations between music exposure and changes in brain anatomy
as well as critical functions such as
speech and language development, literacy, and mathematic skills.

Longitudinal studies have shown that multiple years of music
education or training are associated with enhanced executive
functions, including inhibition, planning, and verbal intelligence in school-aged children. Similarly in older adults, musical practice has also been shown to benefit cognitive function; while various forms of MBIs seem to benefit cognitive functions, including short-term and working memories, digit span, orientation, fluency, abstraction, and psychomotor speed, as well as reduce pain in people with dementia.

music can trigger changes in the
major reaction components of emotion, indicating that
music can evoke real emotions (not merely subjective feelings).

Separating musicians into a group of amateur and
professional musicians, we were able to show that both
groups of musicians had BrainAGE scores that suggested
younger brains than those of a matched group of nonmusicians; amateur musicians had the youngest appearing brains.
At a professional level, intense music-making activities could
also be associated with a stress-related interference and
possibly create a less enriched environment than that of
amateur musicians possibly somewhat diminishing the
otherwise positive effect of instrumental music-making.
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sounds like music is wellness to me <3

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Playing a musical instrument good for brain health in later life - study

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-68105868

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These Cubans don't seem senile. Musicians 60's 70's and 80's at the time .. keeping good time and sounding good! MUst be all those good cigars :D

[youtube]UXwLBS3yUkA[/youtube]

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