{"id":2047,"date":"2022-05-26T10:37:17","date_gmt":"2022-05-26T10:37:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/horizon.peachpuff-wolverine-566518.hostingersite.com\/?p=2047"},"modified":"2022-05-26T10:37:17","modified_gmt":"2022-05-26T10:37:17","slug":"boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2047\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\/","title":{"rendered":"Boosting brain function in later life through singing"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

Ask anyone in a choir why they enjoy it, and they will tell you about the euphoric effects singing has on their mental health. A team of neuroscientists and clinical psychologists based at the University of Helsinki (Finland) believe these benefits could extend to improving brain function and treating aphasia.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n

 <\/p>\n

Professor Teppo S\u00e4rk\u00e4m\u00f6 is studying how ageing affects the way singing is processed by the brain, which could have important therapeutic applications. \u2018We know a lot about speech processing, but not much about singing. We\u2019re exploring how different singing related functions might be preserved in many neurological diseases,\u2019 he explained.<\/p>\n

For people with aphasia, a condition which severely impairs communication and is commonly caused by stroke, communication can be almost impossible as they struggle to sound out the right words. Yet, through a technique known as \u2018melodic intonation therapy\u2019 \u2013 whereby people are asked to sing an everyday sentence instead of speaking it \u2013 quite incredibly they often find a voice.<\/p>\n

Coordinator of the\u00a0PREMUS<\/a>\u00a0project, Prof S\u00e4rk\u00e4m\u00f6 and his team are using similar methods, scaling-up the approach through specially-run \u2018senior choirs\u2019 that involve aphasic patients and their families. The scientists are exploring how singing could play an important rehabilitative role for cases of aphasia and might prevent cognitive decline too.<\/p>\n

Hitting the right notes<\/strong><\/p>\n

The PREMUS study is coordinated with a local aphasia organisation in Helsinki and involves around 25 people per choir, both aphasia patients and their family caregivers. Results of the trial show encouraging results.<\/p>\n

\u2018Ultimately, the aim through our work with persons with aphasia is to use singing as a tool to train speech production and eventually enable them to communicate without singing. But through the choirs we are beginning to see how this approach is translating to people\u2019s daily life as an important communication tool,\u2019 said S\u00e4rk\u00e4m\u00f6.<\/p>\n

Alongside an aphasia choir, the team has also carried out extensive fMRI brain scans of young, middle aged and older adults who participate in choirs to understand why singing is so important at different life stages. Their results indicate that as we age, the brain networks involved in singing undergo fewer changes than those that process speech, suggesting that singing is more widespread in the brain and more resilient to ageing.<\/p>\n

Their studies also suggest that being actively engaged in singing, as opposed to listening to choral music for example, is crucial. \u2018When you\u2019re singing, you are engaging in the frontal and parietal systems in the brain where you regulate your own behaviour, and you use more of your motor and cognitive resources in terms of vocal control and executive functions,\u2019 said S\u00e4rk\u00e4m\u00f6.<\/p>\n

Early results from a longitudinal study, which compared neurocognitive functioning between members of senior choirs and healthy older adults (who do not sing) showed the positive effects of singing on cognitive and auditory functioning and the importance of the social interaction it brings, which may help delay the onset of dementia.<\/p>\n

Choir members performed better in neuropsychological tests, reported fewer cognitive difficulties, and had higher social integration. Electroencephalogram measurements of the same groups suggest that the choir singers had more advanced higher-level auditory processing abilities, especially for combining pitch and location information in frontotemporal brain regions, something S\u00e4rk\u00e4m\u00f6 attributes to the complexity of the sound environment in choir singing.<\/p>\n

The next step will be to replicate and expand this work with senior choirs for patients diagnosed with Alzheimer\u2019s and to develop a large-scale clinical trial to test the effect. The challenge, however, is likely to be different with Alzheimer\u2019s: whereas patients may remember songs from their past, S\u00e4rk\u00e4m\u00f6 is unsure to what extent they can learn and retain new lyrics.<\/p>\n

He is both optimistic and realistic about this work. \u2018This is all about trying to stimulate the remaining networks in the brain. We believe singing could help to regain some of those functions, but of course with Alzheimer\u2019s it\u2019s a brutal, progressive disorder so it\u2019s a matter of buying more time and trying to slow down the pattern of decline happening already.\u2019<\/p>\n

Same song sheet<\/b><\/p>\n

Someone else firmly focused on responding to the challenges of an ageing population is Christian A. Drevon, Professor of medicine at the University of Oslo (Norway). Drevon is a specialist in biomarkers and is now using his expertise to understand the different factors affecting neurocognitive function in the EU-funded\u00a0Lifebrain<\/a>\u00a0project.<\/p>\n

\u2019Most studies about Alzheimer\u2019s are cross-sectional where you take a group of people, look at a certain time and associate certain things with those who have the disease and those who don\u2019t,\u2019 he explained. \u2018However, this is often not causal; you can\u2019t tell if it\u2019s the reason for the disease or if it\u2019s just a consequence of it.\u2019<\/p>\n

To really understand what\u2019s happening with Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia, data are needed for individuals spanning periods both when they are healthy and when they are not, to tease apart what has gone wrong. Unpicking this question is the primary aim of Lifebrain, coordinated by psychologists Professors Kristine Walhovd and Anders Fjell.<\/p>\n

By pooling pre-existing MRI brain scan data from people right across Europe, the Lifebrain project has analysed the significance of a range of different factors on cognition when we age and how this might vary between individuals.<\/p>\n

To analyse over 40 000 brain scans from more than 5 000 people aged 1880 across seven countries, the first challenge was to harmonise the data. Do MRI scans in Sweden and Spain produce the same results? To ensure they do, Lifebrain sent eight participants around Europe to be scanned and to adjust equipment accordingly.<\/p>\n

All psychological tests (including cognitive tests) and other collected data (body weight; demographic; genetic; and lifestyle data, including sleep and diet) were harmonised.<\/p>\n

Next, the team linked MRI data with additional databases which uncovered new insights about how where you live and\u00a0what access you have to green space<\/a>\u00a0might help lower dementia risk. Conversely, it also helped to reveal how\u00a0education<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0sleep<\/a>\u00a0may be less important for future risk of dementia than previously assumed.<\/p>\n

\u2018Lots of studies have claimed education is really important for reducing the risk of dementia. But if you follow people longitudinally through life there\u2019s actually no association,\u2019 said Drevon. \u2018That doesn\u2019t mean education isn\u2019t important; it means it\u2019s probably not true that education will prevent you from developing dementia. We have to search for other factors of importance.\u2019<\/p>\n

Given the expense of MRIs, Drevon suggests tiny blood samples (dried blood spots) could be taken by finger-prick without professional support to provide individual insights in the future. Analysed in an advanced laboratory like\u00a0Vitas Ltd<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 Lifebrain partner – this could be a game-changer in providing tailored, online advice about individual risks.<\/p>\n

\u2018If you really want to improve lifestyle, you probably have to personalise it. You have to measure several factors on an individual level across the life course,\u2019 he said. \u2018Our best chance of fighting cognitive decline and dementia will come from early preventative measures using this lifespan data approach.\u2019<\/p>\n

Work out songs<\/strong><\/p>\n

In time Prof Drevon hopes these personalised insights could help delay or potentially eradicate certain aspects of dementia. In the meantime, what about singing to stave off cognitive decline as proposed by S\u00e4rk\u00e4m\u00f6 through the PREMUS project? Does he agree singing could be an important preventative step?<\/p>\n

\u2018Well, the brain is like a muscle. If you train it, you make it fit, and if you use your brain for singing, it\u2019s complicated, there are a lot of processes, it\u2019s about remembering. Of course, there are other ways of training the brain, but singing is a very good example of how you can help to improve brain function.\u2019<\/p>\n

The research in this article was funded by the EU\u2019s European Research Council. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ask anyone in a choir why they enjoy it, and they will tell you about the euphoric effects singing has on their mental health. A team of neuroscientists and clinical psychologists based at the University of Helsinki (Finland) believe these benefits could extend to improving brain function and treating aphasia.   Professor Teppo S\u00e4rk\u00e4m\u00f6 is … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":298,"featured_media":2048,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"generate_page_header":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2047","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"yoast_head":"\nBoosting brain function in later life through singing - Horizon Magazine Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2047\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Boosting brain function in later life through singing\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Ask anyone in a choir why they enjoy it, and they will tell you about the euphoric effects singing has on their mental health. A team of neuroscientists and clinical psychologists based at the University of Helsinki (Finland) believe these benefits could extend to improving brain function and treating aphasia.   Professor Teppo S\u00e4rk\u00e4m\u00f6 is ... Read more\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2047\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Horizon Magazine Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/horizon.magazine.eu\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-05-26T10:37:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/05\/may-10.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1108\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"886\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Horizon Magazine\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@https:\/\/twitter.com\/HorizonMagEU\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Horizon Magazine\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/2047\\\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/2047\\\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Horizon Magazine\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8f23522ba58f477f04dd574e1034f679\"},\"headline\":\"Boosting brain function in later life through singing\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-05-26T10:37:17+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/2047\\\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1329,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/2047\\\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/may-10.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Health\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"copyrightYear\":\"2022\",\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/2047\\\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/2047\\\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\\\/\",\"name\":\"Boosting brain function in later life through singing - Horizon Magazine Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/2047\\\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/2047\\\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/may-10.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-05-26T10:37:17+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/2047\\\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/2047\\\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/2047\\\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/may-10.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2022\\\/05\\\/may-10.jpg\",\"width\":1108,\"height\":886,\"caption\":\"Singing is emerging as a solution for improving brain function and staving off age-related cognitive disease. \u00a9 glenda, Shutterstock\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/2047\\\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Boosting brain function in later life through singing\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/\",\"name\":\"Horizon Magazine Blog\",\"description\":\"The EU Research & Innovation Magazine\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Horizon Magazine Blog\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/eu-logo.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2026\\\/04\\\/eu-logo.jpg\",\"width\":601,\"height\":283,\"caption\":\"Horizon Magazine Blog\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8f23522ba58f477f04dd574e1034f679\",\"name\":\"Horizon Magazine\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/407bd816be829798850d5e7f646c4137f70c86c6af6c761b67a6ea80c364ffa4?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/407bd816be829798850d5e7f646c4137f70c86c6af6c761b67a6ea80c364ffa4?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/407bd816be829798850d5e7f646c4137f70c86c6af6c761b67a6ea80c364ffa4?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Horizon Magazine\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/horizon.magazine.eu\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/https:\\\/\\\/twitter.com\\\/HorizonMagEU\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/scienceblog.com\\\/horizon\\\/author\\\/horizonmagazine\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Boosting brain function in later life through singing - Horizon Magazine Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2047\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Boosting brain function in later life through singing","og_description":"Ask anyone in a choir why they enjoy it, and they will tell you about the euphoric effects singing has on their mental health. A team of neuroscientists and clinical psychologists based at the University of Helsinki (Finland) believe these benefits could extend to improving brain function and treating aphasia.   Professor Teppo S\u00e4rk\u00e4m\u00f6 is ... Read more","og_url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2047\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\/","og_site_name":"Horizon Magazine Blog","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/horizon.magazine.eu","article_published_time":"2022-05-26T10:37:17+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1108,"height":886,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/05\/may-10.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Horizon Magazine","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@https:\/\/twitter.com\/HorizonMagEU","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Horizon Magazine","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2047\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2047\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\/"},"author":{"name":"Horizon Magazine","@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/#\/schema\/person\/8f23522ba58f477f04dd574e1034f679"},"headline":"Boosting brain function in later life through singing","datePublished":"2022-05-26T10:37:17+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2047\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\/"},"wordCount":1329,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2047\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/05\/may-10.jpg","articleSection":["Health"],"inLanguage":"en-US","copyrightYear":"2022","copyrightHolder":{"@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/#organization"}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2047\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\/","url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2047\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\/","name":"Boosting brain function in later life through singing - Horizon Magazine Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2047\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2047\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/05\/may-10.jpg","datePublished":"2022-05-26T10:37:17+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2047\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2047\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2047\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/05\/may-10.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/05\/may-10.jpg","width":1108,"height":886,"caption":"Singing is emerging as a solution for improving brain function and staving off age-related cognitive disease. \u00a9 glenda, Shutterstock"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2047\/boosting-brain-function-in-later-life-through-singing\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Boosting brain function in later life through singing"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/#website","url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/","name":"Horizon Magazine Blog","description":"The EU Research & Innovation Magazine","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/#organization","name":"Horizon Magazine Blog","url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/eu-logo.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/04\/eu-logo.jpg","width":601,"height":283,"caption":"Horizon Magazine Blog"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/#\/schema\/person\/8f23522ba58f477f04dd574e1034f679","name":"Horizon Magazine","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/407bd816be829798850d5e7f646c4137f70c86c6af6c761b67a6ea80c364ffa4?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/407bd816be829798850d5e7f646c4137f70c86c6af6c761b67a6ea80c364ffa4?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/407bd816be829798850d5e7f646c4137f70c86c6af6c761b67a6ea80c364ffa4?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Horizon Magazine"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/horizon.magazine.eu","https:\/\/x.com\/https:\/\/twitter.com\/HorizonMagEU"],"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/author\/horizonmagazine\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/05\/may-10.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgtNKV-x1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2087,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2087\/lost-for-words-the-devastation-caused-by-aphasia\/","url_meta":{"origin":2047,"position":0},"title":"Lost for words \u2013 the devastation caused by aphasia","author":"Horizon Magazine","date":"July 5, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Aphasia is a devastating diagnosis that affects your ability to speak or understand language. It\u2019s a little-known condition that effects 300 000 Europeans every year and recently made headlines when actor Bruce Willis announced he was diagnosed with it. Aphasia is a language disorder that is caused by a brain\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Brain & Behavior"","block_context":{"text":"Brain & Behavior","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/brain-behavior\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/07\/4june.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/07\/4june.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/07\/4june.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/07\/4june.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2022\/07\/4june.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":997,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/997\/better-understanding-sensory-perception-could-help-people-with-autism-and-dyslexia\/","url_meta":{"origin":2047,"position":1},"title":"Better understanding sensory perception could help people with autism and dyslexia","author":"Horizon Magazine","date":"September 30, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jules Montague Deciphering how the brain processes sight and hearing could have implications for how we understand and treat conditions such as dyslexia, autism and schizophrenia. During her postdoctoral studies, neuroscientist Katharina von Kriegstein was running experiments to see how hearing and voice recognition activated the brain\u2019s auditory areas\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Health"","block_context":{"text":"Health","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Investigating less-studied neural structures is revealing insights which could explain dyslexia. Image credit: Pezibear\/Pixabay, licensed under Pixabay licence","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/09\/girlreading.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/09\/girlreading.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/09\/girlreading.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/09\/girlreading.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/09\/girlreading.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/09\/girlreading.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3413,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/3413\/tiny-particles-big-impact-towards-less-invasive-brain-stimulation\/","url_meta":{"origin":2047,"position":2},"title":"Tiny particles, big impact: towards less invasive brain stimulation","author":"Horizon Magazine","date":"February 11, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Living with a brain disorder often means relying on medication that does not work for everyone and, in some cases, surgery. EU-funded researchers are now investigating whether nanotechnology could one day offer a safer, less invasive alternative. By Michaela Nesvarova For decades, treating serious brain disorders has often meant making\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Frontier Research"","block_context":{"text":"Frontier Research","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/frontier-research\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Researchers are exploring how nanotechnology could treat brain disorders without surgery or implants. \u00a9 PeopleImages, Shutterstock.com","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/02\/10.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/02\/10.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/02\/10.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/02\/10.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":588,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/588\/extended-napping-could-cause-cognitive-decline-in-older-people\/","url_meta":{"origin":2047,"position":3},"title":"Extended napping could cause cognitive decline in older people","author":"Rex Merrifield","date":"December 5, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Regular naps may be one of the privileges of retirement but research is pointing to napping as a contributor to cognitive decline. Scientists are now testing the idea that older people should instead meditate or learn a language to preserve brainpower and wellbeing. Sleep serves a crucial function in brain\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Health"","block_context":{"text":"Health","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/health\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Image credit: Silver Sant\u00e9 Study","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/12\/brainscan.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/12\/brainscan.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/12\/brainscan.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/12\/brainscan.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/12\/brainscan.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/12\/brainscan.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2878,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/2878\/mapping-the-mind-eu-funded-research-unlocks-secrets-of-the-human-brain\/","url_meta":{"origin":2047,"position":4},"title":"Mapping the mind \u2013 EU-funded research unlocks secrets of the human brain","author":"Horizon Magazine","date":"October 16, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"EU-funded researchers are at the forefront of advancing a deeper understanding of the human brain and accelerating treatments for various neurological conditions. By Michaela Nesvarova Recent breakthroughs in neuroscience sound almost like miracles: neurostimulation techniques that help paralysed patients to walk again, or an implant that could help restore vision\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Frontier Research"","block_context":{"text":"Frontier Research","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/frontier-research\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/10\/16.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/10\/16.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/10\/16.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/10\/16.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/10\/16.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/10\/16.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":622,"url":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/622\/noise-and-motion-links-to-dyslexia-pave-way-for-early-diagnosis\/","url_meta":{"origin":2047,"position":5},"title":"Noise and motion links to dyslexia pave way for early diagnosis","author":"Sandrine Ceurstemont","date":"January 8, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Most children are able to learn language almost effortlessly. But for those with communication disorders such as dyslexia, mastering their native tongue can be a challenge. Researchers are exploring how links with noise, language and motion could help diagnose problems earlier and pave the way for better treatment. Dyslexia is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Brain & Behavior"","block_context":{"text":"Brain & Behavior","link":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/category\/brain-behavior\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Image credit - Jay Inslee, CC BY-ND 2.0","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/01\/readingkids.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/01\/readingkids.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/01\/readingkids.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/01\/readingkids.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/01\/readingkids.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/01\/readingkids.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2047","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/298"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2047"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2047\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2048"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2047"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2047"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scienceblog.com\/horizon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2047"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}