Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 10, 2025

Driving Under the Influence: How Music Listening Affects Driving Behaviors
Published on: March 27, 2019
Music Engagement as a Source of Cognitive Reserve
Lee Wolff1, Yixue Quan2, Gemma Perry1
1Department of Psychology, Bond University, Robina, QLD, Australia.
Lifelong music engagement may preserve cognitive function in aging adults by building cognitive reserve. This lifestyle factor is crucial for maintaining brain health and potentially mitigating age-related cognitive decline.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Aging populations face increasing age-related and neuropathological health issues.
- Limited effective treatments necessitate exploring lifestyle interventions for cognitive health.
- Cognitive reserve is a key concept for understanding resilience to brain aging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence on how lifelong music engagement impacts cognitive reserve.
- To assess music engagement's role in neurocognitive preservation in older adults.
- To evaluate music engagement within the framework of the cognitive reserve hypothesis.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of neuroimaging studies.
- Analysis of behavioral data related to music engagement and cognition.
- Examination of epidemiological evidence linking music engagement to cognitive outcomes.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests music engagement contributes to cognitive reserve.
- Lifelong music engagement is associated with preserved neurocognitive function.
- Music engagement may influence differential clinical outcomes in aging populations.
Conclusions:
- Music engagement is a significant factor in building cognitive reserve.
- It should be considered alongside other cognitive reserve proxies.
- Music engagement offers a promising avenue for preserving cognitive function in older adults.
Related Concept Videos
Lazarus's Cognitive Appraisal Theory
Primary Appraisal:...
Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Language and Cognition
Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
Metacognition
Cognitive Theories: Lazarus Mediational Theory of Emotion
Cognitive Appraisal and Emotional Response
Lazarus proposed that...

