A recent study by the Northwestern University shows that Music Lessons can help memory, hearing and more
In recent years, a great number of studies have been carried out into the long-term benefits of music lessons, or playing a musical instrument. The results have shown that it can improve performance at school, increase IQ, benefit a child’s reading age, teach discipline, and even relieve stress and improve the ability to deal with emotional situations. Now, a recent study suggests that playing an instrument can go even further, protecting memory, hearing and neurologically ‘tuning’ the brain.
Increased ability to process auditory signals
The study was carried out by the Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory at the Northwestern University in Illinois, and suggests that those who take music lessons, or make music a significant part of their life over a long period, are less susceptible to aspects of ageing associated with processing sound. A group of 87 participants, ranging from 18-65, all with normal hearing, were selected, with half of the group musicians, and the other half non-musicians (or those who had not had music lessons for more that three years). Electrodes attached to the subjects’ heads were used to measure a response known as neural timing. This is the length of time it takes for the brain to process a sound. Generally, as a person ages, this timing increases. The study showed, however, that older participants who played a musical instrument had neural timing comparable to younger participants, whereas non-musicians were behind by some distance.
Aside from simply ‘processing’ incoming sounds and audio information, neural timing is connected to memory and hearing. The speed with which the information can be processed affects how accurately the information can be pulled from a situation where background noise makes sounds more unintelligible. In addition, the ability to play music relies heavily on memory. Music, in essence, makes no sense without the ability to remember what has already been played. The two abilities that this develops are translated to everyday situations, improving both the ability to listen, and memory, thus reducing two of the most common effects of ageing.
Whilst this study has delivered very significant results to suggest the positive effects of music lessons, the effects are neurological, meaning that if the inner ear is damaged, then hearing will not be helped. However, it is yet another good reason to learn to play a musical instrument, regardless of age. Aside from the health benefits, well, it’s just great fun…
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