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[Michaelangelica]

Discovery

Fine-Tuned Brains

New research shows how musical training enhances an individual's ability to recognize emotion in sound

Now, for the first time, her research provides biological evidence that musical training enhances an individual's ability to recognize emotion in sound.

Kraus received a two-year, National Science Foundation research grant that funded pioneering work in neurobiology. Specifically, the purpose of the study is to examine how music training influences sensory processes that are necessary for successful communication and learning.
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Kraus' work reveals that brain changes involved in playing a musical instrument enhance one's ability to detect subtle emotional cues in conversation.
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The study found that the more years of musical training and the earlier the age in which the musical studies began, the more enhanced their nervous systems were to process emotion in sound.
Historically, it has been thought that the auditory brainstem is fixed, that information flows through without changing any of the circuits. Kraus' research shows that it is not only trainable, but more malleable than previously thought.
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Use with autism and language disorder therapy

The acoustic sounds that musicians skilfully process are the very same ones that children with autism and dyslexia have difficulty translating.

Since Kraus' research has shown that musical training can change the auditory system and enhance verbal skills, it would not be a stretch to say that children with language processing disorders and impaired emotional perception could benefit from playing an instrument.

"There are parts of the brain that are specialised for music and other parts that are specialized for speech, but the brain-stem is a common pathway for both signals. Since our work indicates a common pathway for music, language and emotional sounds, training in music could conceivably help children with language disorders," Kraus said.
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it is really practicing that makes the difference. Musical training not only teaches you to play an instrument, it refines how your brain processes sound.

"Engaging in high-level cognitive processes like music enhances your sensory system," said Kraus. "We hope to see increased resources for music education in schools."

nsf.gov - National Science Foundation (NSF) Discoveries - Fine-Tuned Brains - US National Science Foundation (NSF)

Musicians show enhanced and economic responses intricately connected with processing sound and the communication of emotional states.

Credit: Kraus Auditory Neuroscience Lab, Northwestern University