00:00Music might just be the most popular thing in the world with evidence of its
00:07importance for humanity dating back some 35,000 years. However, while it's no doubt
00:12an important part of our everyday lives for entertainment purposes, playing an
00:15instrument might be key in keeping us healthy. According to a new study from
00:19researchers at the University of Exeter in the UK, those who take part in musical
00:24activities perform better on cognitive tests after 40. The study looked at some
00:281,107 people in that age group, looking at whether they played an instrument or
00:33sang in a choir. They also surveyed their music listening habits, with the
00:37researchers finding that while music listening habits and musical taste didn't
00:40seem to have an effect on an individual's cognition, those who played
00:43an instrument or sang in a choir had significantly better performance in both
00:47working memory and executive function. With cognitive psychologist Ann Corbett
00:51saying about the results, quote, overall we think that being musical could be a
00:55way of harnessing the brain's agility and resilience, known as cognitive
00:59reserve. Cognitive reserve is a metric of resilience against age-related
01:03cognitive decline and is believed to help combat brain illnesses like
01:06Alzheimer's. The researchers add that of all the instruments, the piano and
01:10keyboard had the greatest correlation between instruments and improved
01:14cognition.
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