A study into the effects of music on the ageing brain is looking for volunteers.

The study is part of a larger ongoing study that began in NUI Galway in 2013. It is seeking people aged between 60 and 85 years who would be required to spend two to three hours in a lab carrying out various verbal and numerical tasks while listening to music.

During this process, they will have their brain waves measured by an EEG.

They will also have to complete a questionnaire about music, their personality and their wellbeing.

According to musician and PhD student, Jenny Groarke, at NUI Galway's School of Psychology, the study will examine ‘whether listening to music improves psychological functioning across a range of domains, which we hope can be used to benefit older adults in the future'.

"Findings emerging from these ongoing studies are suggesting that one of the primary reasons people listen to music is to regulate emotions. There is evidence that older adults are more skilled at emotion regulation, and that positive and negative emotions can have a range of effects on physical health, emotional wellbeing, and cognitive functioning.

"Our research is highlighting that individuals also use music to optimise their abilities - such as boosting performance at work, and during sport or exercise. An important aim of the experiment is to determine if listeners beliefs about music's positive effects can be confirmed in the lab," Ms Groarke explained.

Anyone interested in taking part can fill in the questionnaire and sign up here. For more information on the research, click here