The Ultimate in Anti-Aging

 

Nowadays, many people are interested in -- even obsessed with -- the idea of anti-aging, that is, slowing down the aging process. My generation especially, the baby boomers, spend billions on supplements, creams, treatments and so on, to achieve better health, better looks, and better cognitive performance as we age. Some of those may work to an extent, but most probably don't do much, if anything.

Want to know what REALLY works for anti-aging? You guessed it: being a musician. I should say, a classical musician. (Rock and jazz musicians don't quite appear to have the same longevity as classical musicians for reasons that may have more to do with lifestyle.)

In her blog The Musician's Brain, Lois Svard discusses how frequently conductors and pianists live well into their mid- to late 80s and 90s, and are often still performing in public at that age. The demands on the brain to play or conduct complex music well, and to play by memory, are formidable.

Music's effects on the brain have been studied for years. There is no question that music -- not just listening to it, but playing it -- has profound effects on the brain. For example, the corpus callosum, the part of the brain which sits between the right and left hemispheres and is thought to connect them, is more developed in pianists than anyone else. This is due to the fact that the piano utilizes both hands in complex ways, much more than, say, the clarinet or trumpet.

"Neuroscientists say that making music is the most complex activity in which a human can engage, and they consistently point to music making as a good way to build cognitive reserve." (Lois Svard)  It uses all parts of the brain at once: auditory cortex, motor cortex, visual cortex, and emotional and intellectual areas as well. 

In my teaching I am always gearing the work towards brain development. Most people seem to think the pian is mostly about training and exercising your fingers. This is far from the truth.

You may think you'll get those brain benefits only if you started the piano at an early age. But studies show that even starting in your 70s confers significant benefits.

Is music-making the fountain of youth?