Music and the Brain

Can knowing how to play an instrument improve your communication and arithmetic skills? Dr. Nina Kraus from North Western University would answer with a resounding yes. Dr. Kraus and those that work in her lab looked at how sound and music affects the brain. An amazing discovery is that the sound waves that occur are physically similar to the brain waves that occur in the brain. Once they discovered how the brain transfers sound to event related potential,  they began to look at the effects of music on the brain. They saw as one listens to music and becomes accustomed to playing instruments that the auditory system began to fire at a regular, smooth rhythm. Additionally, the auditory pathway overlaps with the speech pathway. As a result this pathway’s firing becomes synchronized as well. Because of the smooth and repeated firing, Dr. Kraus has discovered that there is more learning occurring and the language ability is increased. When compared to dyslexic patient, the neural firing is “jittery”; thus, they have difficult time learning.  However, Dr. Frances Rauscher and neuro scientist Gordon Shaw suggest that listening to music in infants and toddlers will also increase communication and arithmetic skills.  The first three years of a child’s life is important for brain development. This brain development consists of making new synapses and pathways as the young one grows. Dr. Diane Bales author of “Building Baby’s Brain: The Role of Music” says that the synapses used when listening to music are similar to the synapses used for spatial and temporal reasoning…..Just listening to classical music can turn on the synapses”  This sensory input from listening to music encourages the brain to develop and build more connections during infancy . From these findings many would think that Beethoven or Mozart would be the go-to song choice that favors brain development; however Washington times states that it does not matter. Ant type of music is acceptable, however the more complex the melody and rhythm, the more the brain will build. So these findings are encouragement to turn on your favorite album and listen to it throughout your daily work. Just know as you listen, your brain is changing and “humming” to the tune too.

 http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/music-helps-brain-development-infants-1600.html