Playing an Instrument Is Good for the Brain

Cognitive assessments completed by 100 elementary school-aged children revealed an association between hours spent per week practicing a musical instrument and intellectual ability. The authors conclude, “The results suggest that the relationship between musical practice and intellectual ability is related to the maturation of white matter pathways in the auditory-motor system. The findings suggest that musical training may be a means of improving cognitive and brain health during development.” Frontier in Psychology, May 2019