Engaging with music, dance, visual arts and even specific video games can slow brain ageing, a landmark international collaborative study has found.
The researchers, including some from Trinity College Dublin (TCD), said the findings highlight the importance of creativity to promote healthier brain function.
Researchers across 13 countries examined brain data from more than 1,400 participants, including creative experts like tango dancers, musicians, visual artists, learners, strategy gamers and non-experts.
Participants also underwent brain scans and cognitive tests. These were analysed with “brain clock” models – which measure accelerated brain age as observed in multiple brain diseases by comparing their biological and chronological brain age.
READ MORE
They found that sustained engagement in creative activities was consistently associated with “younger” brains, while even short-term training produced measurable, albeit smaller, benefits.
The effects were most evident in regions of the brain that were most vulnerable to neurodegeneration, the research found.
The study, published in the journal Nature Communications on Friday, provides the first large-scale scientific evidence directly linking creative engagement to direct measurable protection of brain health.
[ LED device can improve brain healthOpens in new window ]
As well as Ireland, it included researchers from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Australia and China.
The researchers argue that creativity should be used as a public health resource, with implications for clinical interventions and health policy.
In light of this, they suggest creativity could be prescribed like exercise as a “low-cost, accessible, and powerful way” to protect brain health.
“From tango to video gaming, creative practices share common benefits for brain health and healthy ageing,” the study found.
Dr Agustin Ibanez, senior author of the study and professor in brain health at the Global Brain Health Institute and School of Medicine at Trinity said the impact of creativity on the brain was “comparable to exercise or diet”.
“Our results open new avenues for creativity-based interventions to protect the brain against ageing and disease. Our study also showed that brain clocks can be used to monitor interventions aimed to improve brain health,” he said.
“This is not relevant only for neuroscience, but it is a cultural and policy opportunity. Our societies need to reimagine healthy ageing through both medical and non-medical domains, such as creativity, arts, and play.”
Dr Carlos Coronel, first author and postdoctoral fellow at the Global Brain Health Institute at TCD, said one of the “key takeaways” is that you “do not need to be an expert to benefit from creativity”.
“Indeed, we found that learners gained from brief video game training sessions. While these creative experiences differ, they share a common thread: they help protect brain connections that are vulnerable to accelerated ageing,” he said.
“Because everyone’s hobbies and interests are unique, it’s encouraging to know there are many ways to support brain health through creativity.”
[ What are the best exercises for back pain? Here’s what doctors recommendOpens in new window ]
