Musical Training and Late-Life Cognition. (June 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gooding, Lori F.; Abner, Erin L.; Jicha, Gregory A.; Kryscio, Richard J.; Schmitt, Fredrick A.
• Is Part Of: American journal of Alzheimer's disease & other dementias. Volume 29:Number 4(2014)
• Page Start: 333
• Page End: 343
• Publication Date: 2014-06
• Subjects: musical training -- memory -- cognitive reserve -- aging; Alzheimer's disease -- Periodicals; Dementia -- Periodicals; Alzheimer's disease -- Patients -- Care -- United States -- Periodicals; 616.83
• DOI: 10.1177/1533317513517048
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1533-3175

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of early- to midlife musical training on cognition in older adults. A musical training survey examined self-reported musical experience and objective knowledge in 237 cognitively intact participants. Responses were classified into low-, medium-, and high-knowledge groups. Linear mixed models compared the groups' longitudinal performance on the Animal Naming Test (ANT; semantic verbal fluency) and Logical Memory Story A Immediate Recall (LMI; episodic memory) controlling for baseline age, time since baseline, education, sex, and full-scale IQ. Results indicate that high-knowledge participants had significantly higher LMI scores at baseline and over time compared to low-knowledge participants. The ANT scores did not differ among the groups. Ability to read music was associated with higher mean scores for both ANT and LMI over time. Early- to midlife musical training may be associated with improved late-life episodic and semantic memory as well as a useful marker of cognitive reserve.