Playing music in childhood linked to a sharper mind in old age, study suggests

People with more experience of playing an instrument showed greater lifetime improvement on a test of cognitive ability, a paper from the University of Edinburgh has said. Photograph: Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images

The ageing rocker clinging on to their youth may be a figure of mockery, but research suggests they should be envied for their sharpness of mind.

Researchers have found a link between learning a musical instrument in youth and improved thinking skills in old age. People with more experience of playing a musical instrument showed greater lifetime improvement on a test of cognitive ability than those with less or no experience, a paper from the University of Edinburgh has said.