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Playing and listening to music can have multiple beneficial effects on the brain. This is what the latest research reveals.
The music is magic. A good melody can propel us from our seat to the dance floor or help us relax and rejuvenate. A particular song can take us back to the past, allow us to tap into our deep emotions or make us dream. And while researchers have long studied how music interacts with the human mind, one thing seems obvious: music awakens our brain in a mysterious and complex way.
How does the brain treat music
In his book, This Is Your Brain On Music , Prof. Daniel J. Levitin writes that " musical activity applies to almost every region of the brain we know and almost all of the neural subsystem ." This means that if you scratch a melody on your guitar or listen to a symphony orchestra, almost all of your brainis deeply committed to the process. In fact, what complicates the understanding of the effects of music on the brain is that there is not a single music center. As with language comprehension, music is treated in different ways: for example, a part of our brain decodes tone and tempo while other parts like memory and emotion are put to use. If you play an instrument, your brain must also understand what to do with your hands while another part is used to read the notes of the score. "I think there is enough evidence to say that music has beneficial powers on the brain," says Dr. Lola Cuddy, professor emeritus in the Department of Psychology at Queen's University. "But we must be very careful.
As Dr. Cuddy points out, there are signs that children who take music lessons perform better in some types of tests, particularly reading and concentration tests . "Yes, maybe it's the music lessons that sharpen those skills. If you want your child to be better at reading or math, you'd better get help in these areas, but there's some evidence that learning music is good, "she says. She adds that there is research showing that people who have received music training develop their hearing skills better. "For example, they seem to be better at decoding speech in a noisy environment."
Music, alienation and re-education
Interestingly, music can also play an important role in brain and motor rehabilitation . Some studies show that because music and the movement control area share neural circuits, music can help improve movement in patients with Parkinson's disease , or in those who have lost mobility due to 'a stroke, as well as in patients who have problems with cognition or language.
Lola Cuddy's research, which is supported by the Grammy Foundation and the Alzheimer Society of Canada, is geared towards insane patients. "We have found that many of our Alzheimer's patients seem to retain the ability to recognize musicShe says, referring to a patient who sings on familiar tunes, even if she does not recognize her family members and is unable to take care of herself. "This is very encouraging, because it proves that we can not only use music to enrich patients' quality of life, but we can also use it to help caregivers communicate with their patients. They can sing together, or use music to access the memories. "
Dr. Cuddy believes that if they can identify why parts of the brain are spared when dementia sets in, they will help guide future research. "We will have a better understanding of why some areas are protected while others are affected," she hopes.
Why is listening to music good for you
In the end, what we know about the brain is just the tip of an infinitely more complex iceberg. "There are so many elements in the music and the networks are spread all over the brain," says Dr. Cuddy. In other words, listening to music requires a huge complicated network, which is an advantage when it comes to keeping the brain healthy for life .
Whether or not there is tangible evidence that it can make you smarter, it's clear that listening to music can boost morale and help you relax, which will lower blood pressure and relieve muscle tension . "Music has a very therapeutic effect," says Dr. Cuddy. At the end of the day, music is fun and it's something you can enjoy for a lifetime. "If you listen to music sooner or later in your life, chances are you'll never forget it. People may be afraid of losing their memories, but we can almost say that the music will probably stay in your memory, "concludes Lola Cuddy.
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