Learning Music Strengthens Kids’ Cognitive Skills, study

Learning Music Strengthens Kids’ Cognitive Skills, study

Kids who experience music education could benefit from improved mental functions including language and cognitive skills, a new study suggests.

Playing an instrument can stimulate many regions of the brain including areas related to physical coordination as well as auditory and emotional processes, according to a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

The study involved 44 children separated into two groups. The first group started two-year music education program and the second group joined the same program but after a year deferral.

Researchers assessed the neural responses of the children at different intervals including at the beginning of the study, at the one year mark, and at the two year mark, by administering a hearing test.

The hearing test involved the kids having distinguish between two syllables.  The group that had studied music for two years were able to make stronger distinctions between the sounds whereas the group who had studied for only one year showed no discernable improvements in distinguishing the same sounds.  The same neural functions are also linked to reading and language skills.

The study provides the first direct evidence that community music programs could enhance the neural processing of speech as well as showing that active and repeated engagement with sound changes neural function.

Image Source: Brian Goodman/Shutterstock

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