Music Education and Brain Plasticity

The Music Empowers Foundation has introduced a series of monthly columns called "Your Brain On Music Education." The column provides a unique perspective on the positive things that take place in the brains of children who are involved in a music education program on a regular basis. The articles are researched and written by Dr. Christopher Viereck, who holds a Ph.D. in Developmental Neurobiology.

"I think it is very important for people to understand that the relation between music education and optimized brain development is very real and so important for our children," explained Dr. Viereck. "I want to do my part to ensure that this essential piece of a child's education is made available in all of our schools."

Music Empowers hopes that this series will make it easier for nonscientists to understand how involvement in music impacts directly the developing brains of children, teens and young adults. "We also hope that these articles will provide a go-to resource for parents and teachers when advocating for music and arts programs," said Andy Davis, Founder of Music Empowers Foundation.

The second article in the series, "Music Education and Brain Plasticity 102," is reprinted here with permission. Also see the first article.

This column summarizes and elaborates on a robust study that found verbal intelligence and brain plasticity were enhanced in a group of children following music training. Let’s review and elaborate on the results, so that educators are better equipped to defend and expand rigorous music education in our children’s schools.

The study involved 48 children aged 4-9 years of age, who were enrolled in a summer program in Toronto, Canada. The researchers had academic appointments at several institutions including the University of Toronto. Half the children received music training while the other half received visual arts training. The music training involved rhythm, pitch, melody, voice and basic musical concepts. Musical instrument instruction and performance were not part of this curriculum. Both training sessions involved interactive computerized programs. Sessions were one hour per day, five days per week over four weeks. Both groups received tests before and after the sessions to measure verbal and spatial intelligence and performance on an executive function task (“go/no go”). The study received the requisite approvals from governing ethics committees, parents and children.

Let’s go over what the study found and elaborate on a few points:

Mean scores on the verbal intelligence test were about 20% higher after pupils completed music training. There was no change in the group after visual arts training. The verbal intelligence test used was the Vocabulary subtest of the Wechsler intelligence test ─ a well-known standard. What this suggests is that training in music listening directly benefits verbal skills. Music education involves continuous co-stimulation of multiple brain regions, and this is possibly the reason that it benefits children in other academic areas.

Neither group improved their scores on the spatial intelligence test after the training programs. The spatial intelligence test used was the Block design subtest of the same Wechsler test.

The group of children receiving music training, unlike the group receiving visual arts training, increased their performance on both parameters of the executive function task (“go/no go”). The go/no go task was based on an interactive and carefully timed computerized program. The children’s accuracy rate and reaction time in identifying the correct color (independent of the color’s shape) were measured.

What the results from this go/no go task suggest is that training in music listening also benefits some executive skills. The increase in this executive task likely necessitated an increase in level of control, memorization and attention ─ all of which are required during music training.

Results from event-related potentials (ERP) for the go/no go task suggested that there was an increase in brain plasticity in children completing music training. There was no change in brain plasticity in children following visual arts training.

For the ERP test, children were fitted with an elastic cap containing 64 electrodes for capturing the electroencephalogram (EEG). Other than having to wear the cap, an ERP study is painless. (Some of the kids probably thought the cap would make a great Halloween costume!) By analyzing the time course of the EEG waves during the go/no go task, researchers found an increase in brain plasticity in the brains of children who had received music training. This observation was based on an increase in the amplitude of the P2 component of the ERP over the parieto-occipital brain regions (this is where hearing and vision are centered). Based on the music training the children received, the involvement of these regions makes sense.

About Music Empowers Foundation
Music Empowers Foundation provides financial support to nonprofits that offer innovative music education programs to communities with limited or nonexistent programs. Since its inception in early 2010, Music Empowers has awarded grants totaling over $450,000 to organizations such as Berklee City Music, Little Kids Rock, the Dr. Phil Foundation, Donorschoose.org and the Quincy Jones Musiq Consortium.

About Dr. Christopher Viereck
Dr. Viereck is the Founder and CEO of Insights4MDs, LLC  and Chief Scientific officer of Improve CME, LLC and Metrics for Learning, LLC. He holds a Ph.D. in developmental neurobiology from the University of Basel, Switzerland.  His experience includes over 17 years in medical research, medical education and communications at Merck, Sanofi Aventis, and Bayer Schering.

Education World®             
Copyright © 2011 Education World