The Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest Health Sciences just reported that individuals who studied music in their youth were 20% better at identifying speech sounds than their non-musician peers. In other words, because of their early training, elderly persons were better able to understand and decipher nuances in speech. An article on ScienceDaily states:
The latest findings add to mounting evidence that musical training not only gives young developing brains a cognitive boost, but those neural enhancements extend across the lifespan into old age when the brain needs it most to counteract cognitive decline. The findings also underscore the importance of music instruction in schools and in rehabilitative programs for older adults.
Perhaps, the fine tuning of the ear to decipher the intricacies of pitch, tonality, and resonance create pathways that can also be applied to the spoken word. The study of classical singing adds to the benefits of music lessons, that of learning a foreign language. Sing, it’s good for the brain!