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Brain Plasticity Reflects Specialized Cognitive Development Induced by Musical Training.

ABSTRACT: Learning a musical instrument requires a long period of training and might induce structural and functional changes in the brain. Previous studies have shown brain plasticity resulting from training with a musical instrument. However, these studies did not distinguish the effects on brain plasticity of specific musical instruments as they examined the brain of musicians who had learned a single musical instrument/genre and did not control for confounding factors, such as common or interactive effects involved in music training. To address this research gap, the present work investigated musicians who had experience with both a piano and a wind instrument, for example, flute, trumpet, clarinet etc. By examining the difference between the 2 musical instruments in the same subject, we avoided the effects common to all musical instruments and the confounding factors. Therefore, we identified several high-tier brain areas displaying a brain plasticity specific to each musical instrument. Our findings show that learning a musical instrument might result in the development of high cognitive functions reflecting the skills/abilities unique to the instrument played.

SUBMITTER: Choi US

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8213952 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Brain Plasticity Reflects Specialized Cognitive Development Induced by Musical Training.

Choi Uk-Su US Sung Yul-Wan YW Ogawa Seiji S

Cerebral cortex communications 20210531 2

Learning a musical instrument requires a long period of training and might induce structural and functional changes in the brain. Previous studies have shown brain plasticity resulting from training with a musical instrument. However, these studies did not distinguish the effects on brain plasticity of specific musical instruments as they examined the brain of musicians who had learned a single musical instrument/genre and did not control for confounding factors, such as common or interactive ef ...[more]

PMID: 34296181

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Project description:BackgroundRecent data suggest that musical practice prevents age-related cognitive decline. But experimental evidence remains sparse and no concise information on the neurophysiological bases exists, although cognitive decline represents a major impediment to healthy aging. A challenge in the field of aging is developing training regimens that stimulate neuroplasticity and delay or reverse symptoms of cognitive and cerebral decline. To be successful, these regimens should be easily integrated in daily life and intrinsically motivating. This study combines for the first-time protocolled music practice in elderly with cutting-edge neuroimaging and behavioral approaches, comparing two types of musical education.MethodsWe conduct a two-site Hannover-Geneva randomized intervention study in altogether 155 retired healthy elderly (64-78) years, (63 in Geneva, 92 in Hannover), offering either piano instruction (experimental group) or musical listening awareness (control group). Over 12 months all participants receive weekly training for 1 hour, and exercise at home for ~ 30 min daily. Both groups study different music styles. Participants are tested at 4 time points (0, 6, and 12 months & post-training (18 months)) on cognitive and perceptual-motor aptitudes as well as via wide-ranging functional and structural neuroimaging and blood sampling.DiscussionWe aim to demonstrate positive transfer effects for faculties traditionally described to decline with age, particularly in the piano group: executive functions, working memory, processing speed, abstract thinking and fine motor skills. Benefits in both groups may show for verbal memory, hearing in noise and subjective well-being. In association with these behavioral benefits we anticipate functional and structural brain plasticity in temporal (medial and lateral), prefrontal and parietal areas and the basal ganglia. We intend exhibiting for the first time that musical activities can provoke important societal impacts by diminishing cognitive and perceptual-motor decline supported by functional and structural brain plasticity.Trial registrationThe Ethikkomission of the Leibniz Universität Hannover approved the protocol on 14.08.17 (no. 3604-2017), the neuroimaging part and blood sampling was approved by the Hannover Medical School on 07.03.18. The full protocol was approved by the Commission cantonale d'éthique de la recherche de Genève (no. 2016-02224) on 27.02.18 and registered at clinicaltrials.gov on 17.09.18 ( NCT03674931 , no. 81185).

Dataset Information

Brain Plasticity Reflects Specialized Cognitive Development Induced by Musical Training.

Publications

Brain Plasticity Reflects Specialized Cognitive Development Induced by Musical Training.

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