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posted 24. November 2005 00:30
Musical training helps language processing, studies show
Source: Stanford Report, November 15, 2005
BY LISA TREI
In two Stanford studies, researchers demonstrated that people with musical experience found it easier than non-musicians to detect small differences in word syllables. They also discovered that musical training helps the brain work more efficiently in distinguishing split-second differences between rapidly changing sounds that are essential to processing language.
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It is well known that formal musical training affects how deeply people appreciate music, Gabrieli said. "This is the first example showing how musical training alters how your brain processes language components," he said. "It shows how important split-second timing is for understanding language—if you're bad at it, you're at risk of becoming a bad reader. But what's important is that people are not stuck with this—the study shows that with training people improved their perception of sounds. It shows that our mental capacity is amenable to experience: The brain is plastic^, adaptable and trainable."
[Emphases added by ISCID News Editor]
[Link-underlined terms with ^ indicate linked entry in ISCID Encyclopedia of Science and Philosophy as added by ISCID News Editor]
Read full story in Stanford University's Stanford Report
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