Researchers are employing works by Johann Sebastian Bach, along with MEG and MRI scans, to explore how the brain adapts to the shifts caused by aging.
Elderly individuals can remember musical compositions just as well as their younger counterparts, although different brain regions in older adults need to exert more effort. This finding emerges from a recent study conducted at Aarhus University, which has been published in the scientific journal Communications Biology.
This study is noteworthy as it fuses classical music with neurophysiology to illustrate the brain’s changes as people grow older.
At Aarhus University Hospital, 76 participants had their brains scanned while they listened to a piano piece by the celebrated German composer and organist Johann Sebastian Bach, which they had heard twice before.
The findings reveal that when older adults listen to familiar songs, their brain’s sensory-related areas become more active, while the memory-related regions show decreased activity.
“This indicates that the sensory areas of older individuals’ brains are compensating for the diminished activity in the regions typically involved in memory,” noted Associate Professor Leonardo Bonetti, who is part of the Center for Music in the Brain in the Department of Clinical Medicine at Aarhus University. He conducted the research alongside colleagues from the University of Oxford.
“The study highlights that alterations in brain functionality do not invariably lead to illness or dysfunction. Aging involves not only cognitive decline but also the brain’s ability to adapt and compensate for less efficient mechanisms,” he elaborated.
Possible implications for dementia research
During the imaging process, participants were also exposed to modified versions of the original melodies.
The scans demonstrated that when older adults listened to unfamiliar variations of the music, the key memory-processing regions of their brains reacted less vigorously than those of younger participants. Meanwhile, the activity in sensory-related areas remained unchanged.
“Older individuals simply do not exhibit the same level of brain response to new music variations as younger ones do. This could shed light on why older people often find it difficult to adapt to changes in general,” stated Leonardo Bonetti.
He hopes that this study will enhance the understanding of memory functions and may eventually improve the methods used to assess older individuals who might be at risk for dementia.
“We plan to broaden this research to include individuals with mild dementia. Our aim is to identify biomarkers and utilize this information to forecast how changes in brain function might signal the risk of developing dementia,” the researcher said.
Bach’s music is ideal for memory research
The study utilized musical sequences based on Johann Sebastian Bach’s pieces, and this choice was intentional, according to Leonardo Bonetti.
Bach’s compositions are particularly memorable due to their robust harmonies and clear hierarchical structure, which are reiterated frequently, notably in the Prelude in C Minor from Das Wohltemperirte Clavier, for which the researchers devised a simplified and controlled version.
“Participants listened to the piece twice to familiarize themselves with it. In memory studies, music often proves more effective as a stimulus than numbers or text, as it is inherently easier to remember. This allows us to better observe how the brain processes information over time. Consequently, music serves as an exceptional tool for examining the brain’s functional adaptations in supporting memory as we age,” Leonardo Bonetti explained.
