Playing music can be good for your brain

[sakabatou]

Playing music can be good for your brain
Stanford study finds it helps the understanding of language
by Carrie Sturrock, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, November 17, 2005

Stanford University research has found for the first time that musical training improves how the brain processes the spoken word, a finding that researchers say could lead to improving the reading ability of children who have dyslexia and other reading problems.

The study, made public Wednesday, is the first to show that musical experience can help the brain improve its ability to distinguish between rapidly changing sounds that are key to understanding and using language.

"What this study shows, that's novel, is that there's a specific aspect of language ... that's changed in the minds and brains of people with musical training," said researcher John Gabrieli, a former Stanford psychology professor now at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.

What's promising about the study, researchers believe, is the notion that the brain isn't an immutable organ fixed at birth but is adaptable -- that, with training, people can change their mental agility. The study focused on adults, but researchers want to expand the scope of their work to children as early as next summer.

more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/11/17/MNGQ9FPODP1.DTL&hw=music+brain&sn=001&sc=1000

Cool.

[MuseRider]

1. Hmmmm

I think so. It makes sense to me anyway.

I also think it is cool, I love these kinds of studies. Thanks.

[pinto]

2. Kick, and 1 and 2 and, kick....Neat article, thanks for the post.

[northzax]

3. is this really new?

seems like it's been common knowledge for a long time, no?

[sakabatou]

4. Yes, but it was in today's choronicle

So there :P

[orwell]

5. So all those years...

...of ripping off Jerry Garcia licks made me smarter?

Who'd a thunk it?

[northzax]

6. I'm assuming there's an exception for drummers?

obviously.

[trotsky]

7. Huh, I thought this was already known.

My German teacher in high school one day asked everyone in the class to raise their hands if they played a musical instrument. Everyone that raised their hand was also doing very well in the class.