Music and the Brain

When you hear rhythmic music or sounds with a beat, do you tap your finger, nod your head, or move your foot? A news release issued by the Society for Neuroscience reported on a study in the Journal of Neuroscience. Researchers examined links between the brain’s response to sound and the ability of individuals to keep a beat. It has been known for some time that children who have musical training seem to do better in the study of other types of information, mathematics, for example. This study found that music movement ability improves skill in non-music areas. Moving to a beat correlated with better brain responses to speech. Individuals who were better able to move to a beat showed more consistent brain responses to speech than those with less rhythm. It may be that musical training, with an emphasis on rhythmic skills, exercises the auditory system, leading to strong sound-to-meaning associations that are so essential in learning to read.