It doesn’t matter if it’s Bach, the Beatles, Brad Paisley or Bruno Mars. Your favorite music likely triggers a similar type of activity in your brain as other people’s favorites do in theirs. Continue reading “Music has powerful (and visible) effects on the brain”
Music playschool enhances children’s linguistic skills
Several studies have suggested that intensive musical training enhances children’s linguistic skills. Such training, however, is not available to all children. Continue reading “Music playschool enhances children’s linguistic skills”
From lullabies to live concerts: How music and rhythm shape our social brains
A universal sign of motherhood is the lullaby. The world over, mothers sing to their babies, whether Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, their favorite song from the radio, or even random notes. This universality makes the simple lullaby a great window into the human mind. In a new study, cognitive neuroscientists found that lullabies soothe both moms and babies simultaneously, while playsongs increase babies’ attention and displays of positive emotion toward their mothers. Continue reading “From lullabies to live concerts: How music and rhythm shape our social brains”
Music activates regions of the brain spared by Alzheimer’s disease
Ever get chills listening to a particularly moving piece of music? You can thank the salience network of the brain for that emotional joint. Surprisingly, this region also remains an island of remembrance that is spared from the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers at the University of Utah Health are looking to this region of the brain to develop music-based treatments to help alleviate anxiety in patients with dementia. Their research will appear in the April online issue of The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease. Continue reading “Music activates regions of the brain spared by Alzheimer’s disease”
Social media use at age 10 could reduce wellbeing of adolescent girls
Social media use may have different effects on wellbeing in adolescent boys and girls, according to research published in the open access journal BMC Public Health. Continue reading “Social media use at age 10 could reduce wellbeing of adolescent girls”
Music lessons improve children’s cognitive skills and academic performance
Structured music lessons significantly enhance children’s cognitive abilities — including language-based reasoning, short-term memory, planning and inhibition — which lead to improved academic performance. Published in Frontiers in Neuroscience, the research is the first large-scale, longitudinal study to be adapted into the regular school curriculum. Visual arts lessons were also found to significantly improve children’s visual and spatial memory. Continue reading “Music lessons improve children’s cognitive skills and academic performance”
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