The simple everyday activity that could slow or even prevent dementia, discovered by scientists
LISTENING to music could help boost your memory, scientists suggest - and it may even help slow or reduce the risk of dementia.
Switching on some tunes improves recall as certain melodies can evoke an emotional response, American researchers said.
Scientists from Rice University in Texas and the University of California in Los Angeles tested people's memory by having them look at images.
People with a stronger emotional reaction to the music they heard after they looked at the images were better able to remember them when quizzed on them later.
The team said the strength of people's emotional response to the music was key to their recall.
A "moderate" emotional response seemed to improve participants' memories, but too big or too small a response seemed to impair it.
Kayla Clark, from Rice University, explained: "The more emotional people became from the music, the more they remembered the gist of a previous event.
"But people who had more moderate emotional responses to music remembered more details of previous events.'
The research team suggested harnessing this emotional response to improve memory.
"Music plays a unique role in memory processing," Rice University scientists said.
"We can recall music and memories associated with music well into old age, even [those of us] with dementia.
"Music has the capability of inducing emotional arousal, which may provide a powerful approach toward the modulation of memory."
Signs of dementia that might be missed
The findings could also offer hope to dementia patients, experts not involved in the research suggest.
Dr Sanam Hafeez, a neuropsychologist, told the Daily Mail music could also serve as a tool to reduce the risk and possibly slow the progression of dementia.
"Music helps tap into memories and emotions that might otherwise feel out of reach," she said.
"Over time, that kind of stimulation might delay how quickly symptoms progress."
As the research team pointed out, "music is an integral part of everyday life".
"People often listen to it while completing routine tasks, exercising, socialising, or commuting," they wrote in the journal Neuroscience.
"Given its constant presence, it is no surprise that music becomes entwined with our memories and influences how we process them.
"Listening to meaningful music frequently evokes memories, often accompanied by strong emotional components.
Other ways to reduce dementia risk
Eat a healthy diet
Prioritise a Mediterranean diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and oily fish while limiting red meat, refined foods, and sugar.
Engage in regular physical activity
Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. This can include activities like walking, dancing, swimming, or gardening.
Manage blood pressure
Keep your blood pressure at a healthy level through diet, exercise, and medication if necessary.
Quit smoking
Quitting smoking can significantly reduce your risk of dementia, as well as other health issues.
Keep socially engaged
Maintain an active social life, stay connected with loved ones, and participate in community activities.
Be mentally stimulated
Challenge your brain with activities like learning new skills, reading, or solving puzzles.
Get good sleep
Prioritise good sleep quality, as research suggests that sleep disturbances may be linked to an increased risk of dementia.
Limit alcohol consumption
Drinking too much alcohol can increase your risk of falls and other health conditions that are linked to dementia.
Manage diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, manage it effectively to reduce your risk of dementia.
Address hearing loss
Address hearing loss, as it can be linked to an increased risk of dementia.
"One possible mechanism underlying music's impact on memory is its ability to elicit emotional responses."
Study participants - 130 university students - were shown images of 128 objects or activities and were asked to sort them as "indoor" or "outdoor".
Thirty minutes later, they were asked to do them same with 192 images, some old, some new.
Afterwards, they listened to different types of classical music - which was happy, sad or familiar to students - neutral sounds like a crackling fire or white noise, or no music at all.
Researchers then asked to them report their emotional state and after a 20 minute break, they were asked to complete a memory task and sort images as old or new.
Whether the songs were happy or sad didn't seem to have an effect on participants' recall of them images when they were quizzed on them later.
Instead, the strength of the emotions triggered by the music seemed to boost or hamper memory - with "moderate" responses acting as a sweet spot for recall.
Dr Kimberly Idoko, neurologist and medical director at Everwell Neuro, told the Daily Mail: "Music activates the brain's limbic system, which processes both memory and emotion.
"The more emotionally activated someone is, the more the brain flags that moment as worth storing.
"That's why emotionally charged music can boost recall of big-picture experiences.
"And why, when an emotional response is more moderate, the brain has more bandwidth to encode the details."
Music therapy
Treatment strategies for dementia - including Alzheimer's - can sometimes incorporate music.
Dementia UK says: "For people with dementia – even those who have lost their ability to communicate or are at the end of their life – music can be a powerful way to trigger positive feelings and connect with other people.
"Listening to or engaging in music – for example, by singing, dancing or playing instruments – can help people with dementia develop and maintain relationships with others and improve their wellbeing."
For example, it can allow them to express themselves, become a prompt for reminiscing and reduce distress.
They may also they may find it easier to recall memories when they hear pieces of music that are significant to them.
Yelena Sokolsky, a home health nurse and founder of Galaxy Homecare, told the Daily Mail that music therapy is especially valuable for people with early dementia.
"As cognitive functioning declines, individuals may struggle with verbal communication - this can lead to feelings of heightened confusion, fear or agitation.
"However, music can evoke emotion and memories, bringing comfort even when other forms of communication become challenging."
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