PIANO LESSONS FOR BRAIN HEALTH? A REVIEW OF COGNITIVE, AUDITORY, AND FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES IN OLDER ADULTHOOD

Katarzyna Rosa; Paweł Żurek; Daria Danielczyk; Michał Babicz; Jagoda Pałubska; Oliwer Muller; Natalia Malatyńska; Wiktor  Czyżewski; Martyna Szymczyk; Kamil Chudzicki

doi:10.31435/ijitss.1(49).2026.5284

Authors

Katarzyna Rosa Uniwersyteckie Centrum Kliniczne, Gdansk, Pomerania, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9307-4774
Paweł Żurek Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3023-5128
Daria Danielczyk Wojewódzki Szpital Zespolony, Kielce, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4955-4883
Michał Babicz Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0007-7611-4695
Jagoda Pałubska Independent Public Health Care Institution of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Kielce named after St. John Paul II, Kielce, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3833-7977
Oliwer Muller Kielce Hospital of St. Aleksandra, Kielce, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6197-8461
Natalia Malatyńska Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3824-8225
Wiktor Czyżewski Independent Public Health Care Institution of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Kielce named after St. John Paul II, Kielce, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0277-8203
Martyna Szymczyk Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0005-0772-7119
Kamil Chudzicki Wojewódzki Szpital Zespolony, Kielce, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2734-7720

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.1(49).2026.5284

Keywords:

Cognitive Aging, Mild Cognitive Impairment, Piano Training, Executive Function, Auditory Processing, Quality of Life

Abstract

Objective: To synthesize current evidence on whether piano or keyboard training supports brain health in older adulthood, with particular attention to executive function, central auditory processing, everyday function, and quality of life.

Methodology: This narrative review was informed by PubMed/MEDLINE and PubMed Central searches updated through March 2026, complemented by backward and forward citation tracking of key randomized and controlled studies. Priority was given to intervention trials, mechanistic longitudinal analyses, systematic reviews, and protocols relevant to older adults with and without mild cognitive impairment.

Results: The evidence base includes early randomized studies of beginner piano lessons, active-controlled trials comparing piano with computerized cognitive training or music-listening curricula, neuroimaging analyses nested within randomized trials, and emerging remote or robot-assisted delivery models. The clearest benefits appear in selected executive domains, especially processing speed, category switching, and some aspects of cognitive flexibility. By contrast, the largest active-controlled trial did not find superiority of piano training over music listening for auditory processing, global cognition, or everyday function. Longer interventions may be more favorable, and recent work suggests quality-of-life gains and neuroplasticity signals in white and grey matter.

Conclusion: Piano lessons are a plausible, engaging, and socially meaningful multimodal activity for healthy aging, but current evidence does not justify strong claims about dementia prevention or broad everyday functional gains. Future research should clarify dose-response relationships, identify which older adults benefit most, and test scalable technology-enabled models suitable for community and home-based use.

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