Benefits of Music Training Are Widespread and Lifelong: A Bibliographic Review of Their Non-Musical Effects

2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
William J Dawson
Keyword(s):  
Performing Arts ◽  
Musical Training ◽  
Auditory Memory ◽  
Brain Anatomy ◽  
Performing Arts Medicine ◽  
Music Training ◽  
Motor Functioning ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Prolonged Duration ◽  
And Function

Recent publications indicate that musical training has effects on non-musical activities, some of which are lifelong. This study reviews recent publications collected from the Performing Arts Medicine Association bibliography. Music training, whether instrumental or vocal, produces beneficial and long-lasting changes in brain anatomy and function. Anatomic changes occur in brain areas devoted to hearing, speech, hand movements, and coordination between both sides of the brain. Functional benefits include improved sound processing and motor skills, especially in the upper extremities. Training benefits extend beyond music skills, resulting in higher IQs and school grades, greater specialized sensory and auditory memory/recall, better language memory and processing, heightened bilateral hand motor functioning, and improved integration and synchronization of sensory and motor functions. These changes last long after music training ends and can minimize or prevent age-related loss of brain cells and some mental functions. Early institution of music training and prolonged duration of training both appear to contribute to these positive changes.

How and Why Musicians Are Different from Nonmusicians: A Bibliographic Review

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
William J Dawson
Keyword(s):  
Music Perception ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Musical Training ◽  
Gross Anatomy ◽  
Anatomy And Physiology ◽  
Multiple Parameters ◽  
Prolonged Duration ◽  
Neurological Differences ◽  
And Performance ◽  
And Function

Musicians differ from nonmusicians in many ways; their many special skills reflect the fact that their brains are built differently and function differently. This review of 172 references from PAMA’s bibliographic database reveals that most differences occur in the neurobiological realm, in contrast to those of gross anatomy and physiology. Gross changes occur in both cerebral and cerebellar hemispheres and in both gray and white matter. Neurophysiologic differences, measured by sophisticated imaging and electrophysiological techniques, are revealed in sound processing in general, as well as in multiple parameters of music perception, processing, and performance. Most of the neurological differences, both structural and functional, seem to be related to the early age of onset, intense degree, and prolonged duration of musical training and affect multiple, widespread areas of the brain. Training-related differences extend beyond the musical realm to speech, special senses, and general mental parameters and are seen in both instrumental and vocal musicians. A small percentage of reviewed papers demonstrated no appreciable differences between musicians and nonmusicians in a few parameters.

scholarly journals Molecular and phenotypic analysis of rodent models reveals conserved and species-specific modulators of human sarcopenia

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasiya Börsch ◽  
Daniel J. Ham ◽  
Nitish Mittal ◽  
Lionel A. Tintignac ◽  
Eugenia Migliavacca ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Mass ◽  
Inflammatory Responses ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Sequencing Data ◽  
Phenotypic Analysis ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Analogous Data ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
And Function

AbstractSarcopenia, the age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, affects 5–13% of individuals aged over 60 years. While rodents are widely-used model organisms, which aspects of sarcopenia are recapitulated in different animal models is unknown. Here we generated a time series of phenotypic measurements and RNA sequencing data in mouse gastrocnemius muscle and analyzed them alongside analogous data from rats and humans. We found that rodents recapitulate mitochondrial changes observed in human sarcopenia, while inflammatory responses are conserved at pathway but not gene level. Perturbations in the extracellular matrix are shared by rats, while mice recapitulate changes in RNA processing and autophagy. We inferred transcription regulators of early and late transcriptome changes, which could be targeted therapeutically. Our study demonstrates that phenotypic measurements, such as muscle mass, are better indicators of muscle health than chronological age and should be considered when analyzing aging-related molecular data.

The Association Between Sarcopenia and Postoperative Outcomes Among Older Adults With Hip Fracture: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 073346482110065
Author(s):  
Ming-Hsiu Chiang ◽  
Yi-Jie Kuo ◽  
Yu-Pin Chen
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Hip Fracture ◽  
Postoperative Mortality ◽  
Clinical Event ◽  
High Morbidity ◽  
Adverse Health Outcomes ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Study Selection ◽  
And Function

Hip fracture is a serious clinical event with high morbidity and mortality. Sarcopenia is characterized by age-related loss of muscle mass and function, leading to several adverse health outcomes. In this systematic review, no limitation criteria were used for study selection and 327 studies were identified in the initial search. Of these, 11 studies comprising a total of 2,314 patients were selected. The overall proportion of older adults with hip fracture having sarcopenia was 44%, with a disparity of approximately 10% between men and women. Most studies have indicated that older adults with sarcopenia had poorer postoperative functional recovery than those without sarcopenia; the association between sarcopenia and high postoperative mortality or long hospital stay was heterogeneous. Well-organized studies with longer follow-up periods are warranted.

scholarly journals Targeting Senescent Cells to Counter Aging and Aging-Related Conditions

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 818-818
Author(s):  
Nathan LeBrasseur
Keyword(s):  
Human Populations ◽  
Geriatric Syndromes ◽  
Preclinical Models ◽  
Pharmacological Agents ◽  
New Class ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Selective Elimination ◽  
Early Phase Clinical Trials ◽  
And Function ◽  
State Of The Science

Abstract In response to various forms of age-associated damage, cells can enter a state of senescence. Senescent cells can compromise the health and function of a tissue, and their accumulation with advancing age is believed to contribute to age-related diseases and geriatric syndromes. In preclinical models (i.e., mice), selective elimination of senescent cells through either genetic approaches or a new class of pharmacological agents, termed “senolytics”, has been show to effectively delay, prevent, or reverse the onset and/or progression of pulmonary disease, osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, diabetes, cognitive decline, and several other conditions. Thus, considerable efforts are underway to optimize pharmacological strategies and test their effectiveness in human populations. This seminar will highlight the state-of-the-science of senolytic drugs, and the opportunities and challenges for early phase clinical trials in humans.

scholarly journals Telomere Length and Oxidative Stress and Its Relation with Metabolic Syndrome Components in the Aging

Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 253
Author(s):  
Graciela Gavia-García ◽  
Juana Rosado-Pérez ◽  
Taide Laurita Arista-Ugalde ◽  
Itzen Aguiñiga-Sánchez ◽  
Edelmiro Santiago-Osorio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Telomere Length ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Telomeric Dna ◽  
Biochemical Alterations ◽  
The Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Age Related ◽  
And Function

A great amount of scientific evidence supports that Oxidative Stress (OxS) can contribute to telomeric attrition and also plays an important role in the development of certain age-related diseases, among them the metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is characterised by clinical and biochemical alterations such as obesity, dyslipidaemia, arterial hypertension, hyperglycaemia, and insulin resistance, all of which are considered as risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular diseases, which are associated in turn with an increase of OxS. In this sense, we review scientific evidence that supports the association between OxS with telomere length (TL) dynamics and the relationship with MetS components in aging. It was analysed whether each MetS component affects the telomere length separately or if they all affect it together. Likewise, this review provides a summary of the structure and function of telomeres and telomerase, the mechanisms of telomeric DNA repair, how telomere length may influence the fate of cells or be linked to inflammation and the development of age-related diseases, and finally, how the lifestyles can affect telomere length.

scholarly journals Sex- and age‐dependent alterations of splenic immune cell profile and NK cell phenotypes and function in C57BL/6J mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly B. Menees ◽  
Rachael H. Earls ◽  
Jaegwon Chung ◽  
Janna Jernigan ◽  
Nikolay M. Filipov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Nk Cells ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Nk Cell ◽  
Spleen Weight ◽  
Age Related ◽  
And Function ◽  
Cell Phenotypes

Abstract Background Physiological homeostasis decline, immunosenescence, and increased risk for multiple diseases, including neurodegeneration, are all hallmarks of ageing. Importantly, it is known that the ageing process is sex-biased. For example, there are sex differences in predisposition for multiple age-related diseases, including neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases. However, sex differences in age-associated immune phenotypes are not clearly understood. Results Here, we examined the effects of age on immune cell phenotypes in both sexes of C57BL/6J mice with a particular focus on NK cells. We found female-specific spleen weight increases with age and concordant reduction in the number of splenocytes per gram of spleen weight compared to young females. To evaluate sex- and age-associated changes in splenic immune cell composition, we performed flow cytometry analysis. In male mice, we observed an age-associated reduction in the frequencies of monocytes and NK cells; female mice displayed a reduction in B cells, NK cells, and CD8 + T cells and increased frequency of monocytes and neutrophils with age. We then performed a whole blood stimulation assay and multiplex analyses of plasma cytokines and observed age- and sex-specific differences in immune cell reactivity and basal circulating cytokine concentrations. As we have previously illustrated a potential role of NK cells in Parkinson’s disease, an age-related neurodegenerative disease, we further analyzed age-associated changes in NK cell phenotypes and function. There were distinct differences between the sexes in age-associated changes in the expression of NK cell receptors, IFN-γ production, and impairment of α-synuclein endocytosis. Conclusions This study demonstrates sex- and age-specific alterations in splenic lymphocyte composition, circulating cytokine/chemokine profiles, and NK cell phenotype and effector functions. Our data provide evidence that age-related physiological perturbations differ between the sexes which may help elucidate sex differences in age-related diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson’s disease, where immune dysfunction is implicated in their etiology.

scholarly journals Dill Extract Induces Elastic Fiber Neosynthesis and Functional Improvement in the Ascending Aorta of Aged Mice with Reversal of Age-Dependent Cardiac Hypertrophy and Involvement of Lysyl Oxidase-Like-1

Biomolecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wassim Fhayli ◽  
Quentin Boëté ◽  
Nadjib Kihal ◽  
Valérie Cenizo ◽  
Pascal Sommer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Hypertrophy ◽  
Lysyl Oxidase ◽  
Elastic Fiber ◽  
Ascending Aorta ◽  
Functional Improvement ◽  
Elastic Fibers ◽  
Aged Mice ◽  
Age Related ◽  
And Function

Elastic fibers (90% elastin, 10% fibrillin-rich microfibrils) are synthesized only in early life and adolescence mainly by the vascular smooth muscle cells through the cross-linking of its soluble precursor, tropoelastin. Elastic fibers endow the large elastic arteries with resilience and elasticity. Normal vascular aging is associated with arterial remodeling and stiffening, especially due to the end of production and degradation of elastic fibers, leading to altered cardiovascular function. Several pharmacological treatments stimulate the production of elastin and elastic fibers. In particular, dill extract (DE) has been demonstrated to stimulate elastin production in vitro in dermal equivalent models and in skin fibroblasts to increase lysyl oxidase–like-1 (LOXL-1) gene expression, an enzyme contributing to tropoelastin crosslinking and elastin formation. Here, we have investigated the effects of a chronic treatment (three months) of aged male mice with DE (5% or 10% v/v, in drinking water) on the structure and function of the ascending aorta. DE treatment, especially at 10%, of aged mice protected pre-existing elastic lamellae, reactivated tropoelastin and LOXL-1 expressions, induced elastic fiber neo-synthesis, and decreased the stiffness of the aging aortic wall, probably explaining the reversal of the age-related cardiac hypertrophy also observed following the treatment. DE could thus be considered as an anti-aging product for the cardiovascular system.

scholarly journals Physical activity in elderly

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Cvecka ◽  
Veronika Tirpakova ◽  
Milan Sedliak ◽  
Helmut Kern ◽  
Winfried Mayr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Electrical Stimulation ◽  
Muscle Mass ◽  
Irreversible Process ◽  
Significant Decline ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Age Related ◽  
And Performance ◽  
And Function ◽  
Age Related Changes

Aging is a multifactorial irreversible process associated with significant decline in muscle mass and neuromuscular functions. One of the most efficient methods to counteract age-related changes in muscle mass and function is physical exercise. An alternative effective intervention to improve muscle structure and performance is electrical stimulation. In the present work we present the positive effects of physical activity in elderly and a study where the effects of a 8-week period of functional electrical stimulation and strength training with proprioceptive stimulation in elderly are compared.

Associating emotions with Wagner’s music: A developmental perspective

2016 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 752-760 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo E. Andrade ◽  
Patrícia Vanzella ◽  
Olga V. C. A. Andrade ◽  
E. Glenn Schellenberg
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Young Children ◽  
University Students ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Dimensional Space ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
General Cognitive Ability ◽  
Music Training ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Musical Excerpts

Brazilian listeners ( N = 303) were asked to identify emotions conveyed in 1-min instrumental excerpts from Wagner’s operas. Participants included musically untrained 7- to 10-year-olds and university students in music (musicians) or science (nonmusicians). After hearing each of eight different excerpts, listeners made a forced-choice judgment about which of eight emotions best matched the excerpt. The excerpts and emotions were chosen so that two were in each of four quadrants in two-dimensional space as defined by arousal and valence. Listeners of all ages performed at above-chance levels, which means that complex, unfamiliar musical materials from a different century and culture are nevertheless meaningful for young children. In fact, children performed similarly to adult nonmusicians. There was age-related improvement among children, however, and adult musicians performed best of all. As in previous research that used simpler musical excerpts, effects due to age and music training were due primarily to improvements in selecting the appropriate valence. That is, even 10-year-olds with no music training were as likely as adult musicians to match a high- or low-arousal excerpt with a high- or low-arousal emotion, respectively. Performance was independent of general cognitive ability as measured by academic achievement but correlated positively with basic pitch-perception skills.

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