Cognitive aging
Does learning piano benefit the minds and moods of older adults?
Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC
Older adults who completed a four-month piano training program showed improvements in executive control, mood, and overall quality of life compared to active controls.
Key findings
The piano group showed improved scores on Stroop test conditions measuring attention and cognitive inhibition, along with a positive trend on a visual tracking test. They also showed decreased fatigue and general psychological distress, alongside increases in physical and psychological health, while the control group did not show these improvements.
Methodology
Researchers recruited 41 healthy participants aged 60–84 years old. The final sample analyzed consisted of 13 participants in the piano group who received a weekly lesson and practiced individually for 45 min daily, and 16 participants in an active control group who took part in other leisure activities for 4 months.
Limitations
With a small final sample size of 13 in the experimental group and 16 in the control group, the study's findings may not generalize broadly. Since participants were not randomly assigned, preexisting differences in motivation could explain the benefits. Additionally, because the examiner was not blinded to group assignments, subtle bias could have influenced the assessments over the 4-month period, and the group class format makes it hard to isolate the social benefits from the musical practice itself.
How this study connects
Role on claims
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Completing structured, active learning programs such as piano training can improve executive control, cognitive inhibition, and overall quality of life in older adults.
Evidence for the claim as stated.
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