‘Rock out with yer cock out!’ as we used to say back in the days when I could rock without putting my back out. Turns out, we may have been onto something.
First, the rocking out…
A new study provides evidence that older adults who frequently engage with music may have a significantly lower risk of developing dementia. The research, published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, indicates that consistently listening to music was associated with up to a 39 per cent reduced risk, while regularly playing an instrument was linked to a 35 per cent reduced risk. These findings suggest that music-related activities could be an accessible way to support cognitive health in later life.
Interesting that passively listening to music has a bigger effect than actively playing it. There is, however, a cumulative effect.
The study followed nearly 11,000 community-dwelling adults who were 70 years of age or older and did not have a dementia diagnosis when they enrolled for a median of 4.7 years.
About three years into the study, participants answered questions about their social activities, including how often they listened to music or played a musical instrument. Their responses ranged from “never” to “always.” Researchers then tracked the participants’ cognitive health over subsequent years through annual assessments. Dementia diagnoses were made by an expert panel based on rigorous criteria, while a condition known as cognitive impairment no dementia (CIND), a less severe form of cognitive decline, was also identified […]
Individuals who reported “always” listening to music had a 39 per cent decreased risk of developing dementia compared to those who listened never, rarely, or sometimes. This group also showed a 17 per cent decreased risk of developing CIND.
Regularly playing a musical instrument was also associated with positive outcomes. Those who played an instrument “often” or “always” had a 35 per cent decreased dementia risk compared to those who played rarely or never. However, playing an instrument did not show a significant association with a reduced risk of CIND.
When researchers looked at individuals who engaged in both activities, they found a combined benefit. Participants who frequently listened to music and played an instrument had a 33 per cent decreased risk of dementia. This group also showed a 22 per cent decreased risk of CIND.
As well as actual dementia and CIND, the study also looked at broader cognition, measuring overall thinking abilities and memory.
Playing an instrument was not linked to significant changes in scores on these cognitive tests. Neither listening to nor playing music appeared to be associated with changes in participants’ self-reported quality of life or mental wellbeing.
There was also an interesting influence of education level.
The association between listening to music and a lower dementia risk was most pronounced in individuals with 16 or more years of education. In this highly educated group, always listening to music was linked to a 63 per cent reduced risk.
The findings were less consistent for those with 12 to 15 years of education, where no significant protective association was observed. The researchers note this particular result was unexpected and may warrant further investigation to understand potential underlying factors.
It is important to note that this was an observational study, so it only identifies a correlation, rather than stating definitively that listening to music causes the reduction in dementia risk. It could be that brain-healthier people listen to music more often.
The survey also did not collect details on the type of music, or the duration of listening or playing sessions. Nor did it isolate whether radio listening was music-based or talk-radio.
Well, that’s the ‘rock out’ – what about the ‘cock out’?
A sex expert preaching the powers of masturbation says that pleasuring yourself at least three times a week will lead to a happier, healthier and longer life […]
According to [Dr Gloria Brame, a sex therapist of 20 years], ejaculation decreases levels of cortisol in the body, which is otherwise well known as the stress-inducing hormone.
Off-setting cortisol levels by increasing oxytocin and dopamine in the body actually helps to boost your immune system, because cortisol helps maintain your immune system when released in small doses.
Masturbation can also produce the right kind of environment for a strengthened immune system to thrive, studies show.
A 2004 study conducted by the Department of Medical Psychology at the University Clinic of Essen found that masturbation boosted white blood cell levels post-orgasm.
So, which of us ageing rockers wants to take bets on smiling our way through to winning Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in 2150?
