Could listening to music be an important pillar of longevity? If you feel down and listen to a favorite song it can pick you up. Some people say music helps them work harder and the power of music to evoke memories is second to none. There is anecdotal evidence that playing an instrument or enjoying a favorite album can have a lasting impact on our state of mind and, as a therapy, it can help people suffering from the chronic conditions of old age. Brandon Carone is a research assistant in the Memory and Lifespan Cognition Lab at UCLA and research coordinator with Music Mends Minds, a non-profit group that creates musical support group bands for patients with Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and for veteran’s with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this LLAMA podcast interview with Peter Bowes, Brandon explains why music could be much more than a soundtrack to our lives and why, at 21, he has dedicated his life to understanding music as a therapy.

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In this interview we explore: 

• How Brandon’s fascination with the power of music started as a child, covering classic rock songs. 
• The correlation between favorite songs and emotion.
• Why a chemistry major switches to music cognition. 
• Research at the Memory and Lifespan Cognition Lab at UCLA, exploring the difference between younger and older adults and their ability to recall memories. 
• Persuading young people and older adults to take part in memory tests.
• Natural memory loss as we age. 
• How people suffering from debilitating mental conditions respond to music. 
• Anger management and music. 
• How music improves our mood.
• Is there a mathematical formula behind brain behavior?
• Pre-birth memories and how they impact us in later life.
• Funding for research into studies related to music and health.
• The uplifting power of music, at all ages. 

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The Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice. If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.