Long-Term Musical Training May Protect Aging Brains from Hearing Decline

By Adebowale Bello. B.Tech Microbiology, Freelance Health Writer. Medically reviewed by A. Odutola, MB.BS, PhD.

A young African girl seated on a green couch while focusing on playing the guitar. Image Credit: Freepik

Have you ever struggled to hear what someone is saying in a crowded market, a church gathering or at a lively family party? For many people, especially as they grow older, background noise can make conversations frustrating and tiring. Scientists have long wondered why aging makes listening harder and whether there are natural ways to protect the brain.

A new study offers an exciting clue by showing that long-term musical training may help older adults keep their brains sharp and youthful, making it easier to understand speech even in noisy environments.

About the study

Scientists compared three groups of people: older musicians, older non-musicians and young non-musicians. Each participant had to listen to syllables played with background noise while their brain activity was measured using functional MRI. The aim was to see whether musical training across a lifetime offered any advantage when hearing speech with noise in the background.

The study focused on something called the auditory dorsal stream. This is a network in the brain that helps us map sounds to movement, including how we speak and listen. In older adults without musical training, the brain often works harder in these areas to keep up (compensate) with what is being said.

The scientists tested two ideas. One was that musical training boosts this compensatory effort (“bolster compensation”). The other was that musical training might actually reduce age-related overactivity, keeping connections in the brain more youthful (“hold-back upregulation”).

What the study found

Older musicians performed better than older non-musicians at identifying syllables in noise, though still not as well as the young non-musicians. In the brain scans, older people who did not play music showed more brain activity in listening areas, meaning their brains had to work harder to understand speech.

By contrast, older musicians showed patterns of brain connectivity much like the younger group. Their brains did not struggle or work extra hard. Instead they worked more smoothly, much like younger brains. The way their brain activity was organised also looked more youthful, holding back the usual changes that come with age. This supports the idea that musical training gives the brain extra strength to stay young, instead of making it push harder to keep up.

What the study means to Africans

This research feels deeply relevant for the African context. In many parts of Africa, music is deeply woven into daily life, from drumming rituals and choral singing to traditional dances and community celebrations. For many Africans, music is not just art, it is a way of life.

This study suggests that lifelong musical engagement might offer real cognitive (higher order brain health) benefits as people age. That means older Africans who have sung in choirs, played local instruments like the kora, mbira or talking drum or learned an instrument in the community may be protecting their brain health without even knowing it.

Since many African cultures include rich musical traditions passed down through generations, this could be a natural path to building cognitive and hearing reserve. It speaks to the value of encouraging musical education and creativity across all ages, not just for performance but for lifelong brain health.

Because the study was cross-sectional (i.e.snapshot study over a given time), we cannot be totally sure musical training caused the benefits but it’s still a compelling reason to support and preserve our musical heritage, especially among elders. Even picking up a simple instrument or joining a singing group later in life could bring benefits.

Music, Community and Brain Health

Music in Africa is often communal. When different generations come together to sing, dance, tell stories through songs or play drums, it brings many senses to life and strengthens social bonds.

The mix of movement, feelings and focus that comes with making music may be just what the brain needs to stay strong and resilient. Encouraging local music programmes for elders, hosting community music events or promoting intergenerational music-making could offer more than cultural pride, they could be promoting healthy hearing and  brain aging.

Future research could explore how different types of musical involvement from casual singing to serious instrumental practice affect the brain and hearing in Africans. It could also look at other factors such as physical activity, bilingualism or education that may mix with musical experience to build cognitive reserve.

Wrap Up

This remarkable study shows that long-term musical training seems to help aging brains stay efficient and connected, especially when trying to make sense of speech amid noise. For people in Africa, where music flows through traditions, communities and homes, the study is a reminder of the immense value of cultural musical practices for brain health and general wellbeing.

Whether you grew up with drums or choirs, or you’re interested in learning an instrument, your musical path can do more than lift your spirit. It may help keep your hearing and brain in tune for years to come.

Source: Zhang L, Ross B, Du Y, Alain C (2025) Long-term musical training can protect against age-related upregulation of neural activity in speech-in-noise perception. PLoS Biol 23(7): e3003247. Available from here

Related: How Music Boosts Health and Wellbeing: Mind-Body Benefits

Published: September 8, 2025

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