WITH reference to the article "using sport to unlock forgotten memories" (May 24), music does the same.

My sister, Jean, when in her late teens and 20s was one of the dancers in the amateur operatic society in Chester-le-Street. She was bright, intelligent and always busy. In her early 70s she developed alzheimers and died three years ago aged 82.

In the late stages, when she did not know you and conversation was gone, if you started to sing some of the old songs, especially songs from the shows she performed in – all the Gilbert & Sullivan plus Merry England, Desert Song, etc – her eyes and face lit up and one time I sang and performed the "It dance" from the Desert Song and and you could almost see the memories coming back to her.

But once the music finished she went back into herself. Let us hope that more money is put into research to combat this dreadful illness.

Maureen Robinson, Broadway, York.