What Learning An Instrument Does To The Structure Of The Brain

In recent years, there has been a boom in brain health and development products. Many people are now realizing that working out your brain is just as important as working out your body. From cognition apps to brain games, there is no shortage of activities that help to give your brain the exercise it needs. The business side of brain training is huge, and the industry is worth roughly $3 billion because of companies like BrainHQ, Cogmed, and Lumosity.  

Despite claims that brain workouts are meant to benefit the structure and function of the brain, studies have shown that these games are more likely to improve on only the tasks being performed while playing them. But there are still options for people who want to train their brain, and one of those is learning how to play a musical instrument. So, how does music change your brain? Read on to find out exactly what learning an instrument does to the structure of the brain.

How does the brain perceive music?
According to Johns Hopkins medicine, the connection between the brain and music is a lot more solid than once thought. Research has shown that music can stimulate the brain in ways that many other things cannot. The physiological mechanism behind listening to music is a simple progression: vibrations travel from a stereo system into the ear, where the sounds are transmitted into electrical signals. From there, the auditory nerve sends those signals into the brainstem, where we perceive it as music.

The brain has to compute music, and since there are structural, architectural, and mathematical factors involved, even the process of simply listening to music takes a lot of brainpower. Researchers at Johns Hopkins wanted to see exactly how the brain does what it does when music is playing, so they conducted experiments using an MRI machine and music. Participants were asked to lie down inside an MRI machine and listen to jazz or rap music. According to their findings, a lot of areas had to light up on the scan for the brain to perceive music.

How does learning an instrument affect the brain structure?
The structure of the brain changes throughout one's life. The constant changes it goes through can be attributed to several things, such as the normal aging process or the development of certain neurological deficits. When it comes to music, studies have shown that just learning an instrument can help to “build” the brain. It does this by causing the brain to be more connected through increased neural plasticity, which helps to improve on the capabilities of the brain beyond music itself.

Research has also shown that those who do know how to play musical instruments have stronger connections when it comes to the structure and function of the brain. This level of connectedness doesn't just occur in one area of the brain, but several. However, the connections are strongest in the areas of the brain tasked with sound and music processing.

Other research has investigated the structural integrity of the brain as compared between musicians and non-musicians, and has found that learning a musical instrument has the ability to increase grey matter volume in more than one brain region.

What are the benefits of learning an instrument?
There are many reasons why learning a musical instrument can be good for the brain. Studies have shown that it can have a significant impact on long-term memory, especially in those who begin learning their instruments while they are young. Studies have also shown that learning an instrument can help with mental alertness and focus. Those who play instruments on a regular basis are also more capable when it comes to reaction time (auditory, tactile, and audio-tactile). Musicians are also better at using multi-sensory information and gathering information from each of their various senses. 

Since music has the ability to increase gray matter, learning a new instrument as an adult is a great way to increase your brain power. It will help to improve spatial reasoning as well as verbal memory. Learning an instrument also requires the use of many different senses, which means that it can lead to a better ability to multitask. Studies have also shown that music lessons can increase the blood flow to the brain, which can be good for the circulatory system. Another great benefit for the brain is stress relief. Experiencing high amounts of stress for prolonged periods of time can lead to cognitive issues, and learning a new instrument, even as an adult, can help combat rising stress levels that may affect the way the brain functions.

How does learning an instrument help cognitive development?
Learning an instrument early in life is great for cognitive development because of the way it can affect the structure of the brain. Studies done in recent years have found that children who learn musical instruments at a young age are better with language-based reasoning skills, planning, organization, and the ability to complete tasks. One such study looked at musical children compared to their non-musical peers and found that those who received music lessons showed improved academic achievement that far surpassed that of children who were not taking music lessons. The evidence of this study shows that learning a musical instrument can enhance cognitive abilities in child development across all verticals of learning.

Is music good for the brain?
The short answer to this question is yes! Music is good for the brain. Learning a musical instrument, whether as a child or as an adult, can impose structural changes in the brain that can positively impact a person’s overall cognitive function. If there was ever any reason to get your child into playing a musical instrument, this is it!

Featured image by Clark Young on Unsplash