Welcome To Your Child's Brain Analysis

As the children grew up, the scientists used MRI and EEG scans to observe their brains. During the first two years of this study, they found out that the children who were learning music were maturing faster and developing much more of an auditory pathway than the others. “The enhanced maturity reflects an increase in neuroplasticity – a physiological change in the brain in response to its environment – in this case, exposure to music and music instruction” (Gersema). This fast development of the brain’s neuroplasticity, and auditory pathway can accelerate certain abilities like language development, communication, and reading skills.

Music can definitely make differences and can help the human’s motor and reasoning skills. Cases have been reported that children who have at least three years of experience in the music world perform better than those who are not. These children were tested on nonverbal reasoning skills which includes analyzing visual information such as comparing and contrasting shapes and patterns. Involving your skills in music does more important positive changes that you can not imagine.

Young musicians have more complex connections between different brain regions and more elaborate auditory and motor systems than kids who didn’t play an instrument(National Institutes of Health). “When you make music, it engages many different areas of the brain, including visual, auditory and motor areas,” says Schlaug. “That’s why music-making is also of potential interest in treating neurologic disorders.”(National Institutes of Health). “Does music actually touch your heart?” Yes, it actually does. It has been shown that fast paced music increases heart rate and slow paced music decreases heart rate.(The Effect of Music on Heart Rate).

The first article showed the correlation between third grader, with various degrees of musical experience, who were tested on a battery of auditory processing and reading related tasks. One-hundred eighty four third-grade children from three mainstream public schools were participants in the study. Many of these participants had no previous knowledge of hearing or neurological problems. Of the 184 third-grader 13 failed to complete portions of the testing protocol and 15 failed provide information about their musical history and therefore were excluded. Of the 156 remaining children, 108 took music lessons at time of the study and the other children never participated in any form of formal music lessons. Some children with musical experience had between 1-36 months of experience and were taking music lesson and playing a musical instrument at least once a week. (http://journals.plos.org)

Even as a young child I had an unrestrained curiosity about life. Largely due to the environment I grew up in, my concern for the world around me grew proportionally to the amount of exposure to it I experienced. My parents had a patience for the myriad of daily inquiries I presented about seemingly everything. "Why do people drive cars? Why do they drive that car? Where do cars come from? Where do people come from?" I would ask as my developing 5 year- old brain would analyze the passing world outside of the car window en route to a family grocery store trip. As always, my parents would calmly wait for the slew of questions to reside until they formulate a manner to disclose the answers to such questions in terms of a 5 year- old vocabulary. Not being an easy accomplishment, they handled such high eagerness to learn without annoyance. They treated my young brain with delicacy only representative of their understanding of the importance of asking of such questions. This cycle continued for the duration of my upbringing.

As a result it is much harder to learn and store new information in adulthood, however, the brain of an adult musician display’s symmetry, complexity and are much larger; musicians use multiple areas of their brains at once to play a musical instrument, activating and strengthening, and creating, neurons across the whole brain (Kent, 2006 & Collins, 2014 & Alban, n.d. & Sanders, 2012 & Wan & Schlaug, 2010). This is because, connections that are formed before the elimination period can create a strong or weak foundation for networks that will form later (Harvard University, n.d.). as previously mentioned, music exercises the brain, strengthening the neurons it is processed by and eventually constructing a strong network (Kent, 2006 & Urban Child Institute, n.d. & Alban,

Recent studies have shown that a fully matured brain is capable of changing by learning simple music techniques. This process is identified as Music Plasticity, Plasticity is permanently shaping structural brain development.(jneurosci) Changes occur because of the profound emotions that music is able to break through. Each song written holds heavy expression within it, the associations that musicians make with these expressions is particularly…. Playing an instrument is an intense, personal movement in which long periods of practice time is a must. It requires hours upon hours of repetitive movements, memorizing long phrases, and different forms of time presion levels, being so, this develops strong organizational skills within the brain,

Playing and listening to instruments help strengthen parts of the brain. For one, “science has shown that when children learn to play music, their brains begin to hear and process sounds that they couldn’t otherwise hear” (Locker 1). One of the main importances of playing music is listening to know when a note has gotten off key. The ability of picking up wrong notes help people listen more closely without having to think about it. Another example, “researchers found that after two years, children who not only regularly attended music classes, but also actively participated in the class, showed larger improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores than their less-involved peers” (Locker 1). These children were more attentive

Music for example. What can it do? A Harvard psychologist by the name Howard Gardner found that music intelligence is equal in importance logical – mathematical intelligence, linguistic intelligence, and spatial intelligence. Those are just the logical thigs that they help with. They’re also as important for your kinesthetic intelligence as well (Lili M. Levinowitz). Not only that, but music can help child development. For example they can help with social learning. There are possibilities that a child may develop social anxiety. Music is a way a toddler can interact with people and learn to compromise and share. These are socials skills children need. Not only

Neuroplasticity, as defined by Encyclopedia Britannica (2017) , is the “capacity of neurons and neural networks in the brain to change their connections and behaviour in response to new information, sensory stimulation, development, damage, or dysfunction.” One reason why this specific research is important is because music instruction can enhance brain functions. Breaking down the old notion that specific areas of the brain are responsible for specific assigned tasks has been replaced by the idea of neuroplasticity and the brains ability to adapt and change throughout life. The relevance of this science is one that would support the idea that music making enhances the growth and maturation of all types of cognitive functions. These functions include memory, learning, listening, and literacy. Again, success in beginning band will largely depend on the students’ ability to read and understand the music placed in front of them. But not just literacy alone; the student will be tasked with these other cognitive functions in their acquisition of musical skill and

Although many, one positive way music education is beneficial to students is that it has a large impact on brain stem growth. With the incorporation of music in a student’s daily life, the brain stem’s responses become more robust (Brown). Therefore, the amount of brain stem growth correlates with recent musical training. As stated by Brown, an adjunct professor at the University of Baltimore, “student’s that are involved with a large amount of music will see more gains in brain stem growth”. Furthermore, the neural changes that occur in students as adolescents stay with them into adulthood (“Music Matters”). This allows students to be more prepared once they go into the workforce as adults. Along with the brain stem’s responses being more robust, it’s sensitivity to sound increases (“The Benefits” 1). This is abundantly evident from early on, as mother’s sing to their infants to facilitate brain stimulation and development. Enrichment through music, starting at a young age, seems to improve individuals speech sound development and use of more advanced vocabulary. Adolescents’ language also improves with the use of music in a student’s academics (Miller 46). Luehrisen

A number of studies showing the relationship between the playing of musical instruments and IQ development are discussed below. A few studies on the effect of drum lessons on brain development are also considered.

Educationally speaking, music can benefit teens, children, and even the elderly. It can easily enhance the learning environment of the classroom. Teachers that instruct toddlers often play soothing music during naptime to lull the children to sleep. High schools have been known to play classical music during passing periods to calm the overall atmosphere of the hallways. Cognitive faculties such as the ability to memorize can be enhanced by the capability of playing a musical instrument (Atkins). Most psychologists believe that playing an instrument broadens one’s capacity to understand math and science. This may be in part because language, math, and music are all processed in the temporal lobes of the brain. Learning to enjoy a wide variety of musical genres can enhance the processing all of these things. It can also give people an appreciation and

A distinct tie exists between music and the human brain. “It speaks to the emotions, the angst, the happiness, and it really ties kids into their emotions. Everything seems so life and death, so right now” (Gutjahr). There are one hundred billion neurons in the brain (Levitin 85). Almost every part of the brain lights up when a person listens to, plays, or reads music. Playing an instrument requires carefully timed physical movements, which enables the motor cortex (“Your Brain”). The hippocampus, a part of the brain which plays a key role in long term memory, helps retrieve memories that give sound both meaning and context. The visual

Classical instrumental music education has developed into a luxury that mostly only the middle classes and higher classes can afford. While classroom music education at schools provides an overview of musical knowledge and performance, it does not always allow the opportunity for an in-depth specialisation in instrumental practice. Music education is important for children’s development and should be accessible to all. Multiple studies on the impact of music on the brain have been conducted and the field of study is still in its early stages of research, but experts agree that music education, and especially the practise of a musical instrument, is important for all children. Unfortunately the cost of music lessons and other barriers restrict its access to underprivileged children in particular.