Related Experiment Videos
Evaluating predisposition and training in shaping the musician's brain: the need for a developmental perspective
Jennifer Zuk1,2, Nadine Gaab1,2,3
1Developmental Medicine Center, Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|May 26, 2018
Summary
Musical training shapes brain structure, but early development and predispositions are key. More longitudinal studies in young children are needed to understand music
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Music Cognition
Background:
- Music training is a model for studying structural brain plasticity.
- Neuroimaging reveals structural brain differences in musicians.
- Few studies examine early childhood brain development and music training.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review factors influencing early brain structure before formal music training.
- To propose a model for neurobiological pathways of the 'musician brain'.
- To highlight the need for longitudinal studies in early childhood.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing neuroimaging and developmental studies.
- Introduction of a developmental interaction model.
- Focus on early childhood (before age 8) and longitudinal research.
Main Results:
- Characteristic 'musician brain' may result from interaction between predisposition and experience.
- Early environmental factors and predispositions influence brain structure.
- Training-induced plasticity is a key component in development.
Conclusions:
- A developmental perspective is crucial for understanding music training's effects on brain structure.
- Longitudinal studies in early childhood are essential.
- Understanding the interplay of predisposition and environmental factors is key.