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March 5, 2025
American philosopher and psychologist William James once said, “I don’t sing because I’m happy. I’m happy because I sing.”
A new Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine study finds that, even when singing with others in a virtual setting, the benefits abound.
In collaboration with Illinois-based Sounds Good Choir, the study assessed the feasibility of virtual group singing for adults over 55 — including those with neurocognitive disorders like dementia — during the COVID-19 pandemic when older adults were experiencing health declines due to isolation. It found virtual group singing can be an effective tool for promoting well-being and social connection during isolation.
“Beyond the pandemic, the study suggests virtual singing could benefit individuals in rural areas, those with mobility limitations or those experiencing social anxiety,” said principal investigator Dr. Borna Bonakdarpour, director of the Northwestern Music and Medicine Program, associate professor of neurology at Feinberg and a physician with the Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease. “We found virtual group singing could provide emotional, cognitive and social support through accessible, engaging music programs for diverse aging populations.”
For people with neurocognitive disorders music and singing can offer alternative ways of expression.
Singing engages diverse neurophysiological processes by activating a neural network involved in respiratory control, emotional regulation and motor control, Bonakdarpour said. Lung capacity, posture and overall physical health often improve through the practice of singing. And choral singing has been increasingly recognized as a therapeutic activity for both cognitively healthy older adults and individuals with dementia and neurocognitive disorders.
For people with neurocognitive disorders — who frequently struggle with verbal communication — music and singing can offer alternative ways to express themselves, much like we see in individuals with aphasia,” Bonakdarpour said. “Singing familiar songs can help facilitate communication and create a comfortable, low-pressure environment for interaction and sharing.”
Lower anxiety, and higher levels of connection
Previous research has focused on one group of singers and had fewer participants compared to this study, which compared two different group-singing interventions: a sing-along series with 52 weekly sessions of familiar music and a structured choir with rehearsals leading to a virtual concert. Of the 176 individuals surveyed, responses revealed high satisfaction, particularly in areas like anxiety reduction, social connection and physical well-being. The sing-alongs helped evoke emotional resonance through positive memories, while choir participation promoted intellectual engagement.
