Music training accelerates children’s cognitive development, according to new brain imaging research from the University of Southern California.
Researchers at the university’s Brain and Creativity Institute have recorded increased electrical activity in young musicians’ brains, which leads to rapid development of auditory pathways.
The study, which began in 2012, is spending five years following 75 kids who were six and seven when they first became involved.
One group is part of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Youth Orchestra, some are involved in a football training programme and others have no regular activities. None of the students had music training beforehand.
After one year, researchers noted behavioural changes among the different groups. The music children were better able to detect differences in pitch and rhythm, and were better able to memorise a series of numbers.
Two years into the study and researchers have collected enough neuroimaging data to back up the observations.
They now have brain imaging showing rapid development of the auditory pathway in the young musicians – a pathway which is also engaged in other activities including speech perception, language development and reading skills.
Antonio Damasio, director of the Brain and Creativity Institute, acknowledged the study is still in its exploratory stages, saying: ‘It will take a long time to be absolutely certain of the results, but a little bit to our surprise, strong results began to emerge earlier. There are very strong indications that things are changing under the influence of music.’
These results were published in the journal Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience.
Researchers will now study their brain imaging data to see if connectivity between different areas of the brain is changing, including how the left and the right brain are communicating with each other.
They will also examine how social and emotional behaviour of the children is changing, in the hope to give weight to the importance of music education in schools.
Researchers at the university’s Brain and Creativity Institute have recorded increased electrical activity in young musicians’ brains, which leads to rapid development of auditory pathways.
The study, which began in 2012, is spending five years following 75 kids who were six and seven when they first became involved.
One group is part of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's Youth Orchestra, some are involved in a football training programme and others have no regular activities. None of the students had music training beforehand.
After one year, researchers noted behavioural changes among the different groups. The music children were better able to detect differences in pitch and rhythm, and were better able to memorise a series of numbers.
Two years into the study and researchers have collected enough neuroimaging data to back up the observations.
They now have brain imaging showing rapid development of the auditory pathway in the young musicians – a pathway which is also engaged in other activities including speech perception, language development and reading skills.
Antonio Damasio, director of the Brain and Creativity Institute, acknowledged the study is still in its exploratory stages, saying: ‘It will take a long time to be absolutely certain of the results, but a little bit to our surprise, strong results began to emerge earlier. There are very strong indications that things are changing under the influence of music.’
These results were published in the journal Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience.
Researchers will now study their brain imaging data to see if connectivity between different areas of the brain is changing, including how the left and the right brain are communicating with each other.
They will also examine how social and emotional behaviour of the children is changing, in the hope to give weight to the importance of music education in schools.
