subject: Beyond The Mozart Effect: Music Changes Neuroplasticity [print this page] In a study conducted by DrIn a study conducted by Dr. Nina Kraus, professor of neurobiology and physiology at Northwestern, showed how kids who have had just 20 minutes a day of music lessons demonstrate a significant change in how their nervous system responds to sound. Whether it be music or speech! This discovery will change the way people view the importance of music in the school system as it pertains to a child's development.
Kraus says "playing an instrument teaches the brain to enhance relevant sounds in complex processes"a skill that is especially helpful to those with learning disabilities that make them vulnerable to background noise but also helpful for kids in noisy environments and children. There is strong evidence that music also focuses the brain on single events in a noisy enviroment.
"Musicians are continuously engaged in harmony and melody on top of the sound of their own instrument. They are continuously having to be in the moment playing their own notes, rythm, tone, etc., while continuing to make adjustments in order to play their part as a whole in the band.You can imagine how that would impact a child's ability to learn in a noisy classroom" says Kraus.
The physiological benefits of music can be experienced at any age but it is best to begin musical training during childhood.
One cannot deny the power of music. High school students who study music have higher grade point averages, develop faster physically, and improved listening skills. The top three schools in America place great emphasis on music and the arts. Some of the three top academic countries in the world, Hungary, Japan, and the Netherlands all place a great emphasis on music education and participation in music.
Beyond The Mozart Effect: Music Changes Neuroplasticity
