Adults

Icon

The Adult Brain

The brain remains mostly the same from ages 25 to 60 in structure and function. Neuroplasticity still occurs, but at a lower level, allowing new skills to be learned and perfected, and there is a gradual reduction in grey matter all round the brain. 

Icon

... with Musical Instrument Training

Professionals vs amateurs

Long-term practice in professional musicians accumulates small neuroplastic changes into significant differences, particularly for those who began before age 7. However, short-term training can still engage neuroplasticity, with 5 weeks of training increasing communication between the sensory and motor regions. 

All functions near & further

With more complex practice, musical instrument training engages more cognitive regions, alongside the initial sensory and motor areas. Therefore, far-transfer effects become more apparent, with changes in structures such as the basal ganglia leading to 'non-musical' improvements in regulation and coordination. 

Secondary cortices in the spotlight

In childhood, primary regions mature first so are engaged in early training. By adulthood, complex secondary regions are matured. Evidence suggests professional musicians activate these specialized areas more than non-musical adults, reflecting increased sensory 'understanding'. 

Match the brain to the instrument

Interestingly, MRI scans show that not only do the brains of musicians differ from non-musicians, but also from their fellow musically trained peers. Violinists exhibit more grey matter in the right side of the primary motor cortex, due to their more practiced, finer use of the left hand, while pianists show more grey matter on the left side as they predominantly use their right hand in more complex ways. 

Accordion
  • Increased specialised auditory and spatial skills
    • Increased specialised auditory and spatial skills

    More complex practice engages more complex regions. Professional musicians have larger differences in these more specialised secondary regions. 

    1. Somatosensory cortex - increased grey matter --> improved visual & spatial skills 

    2. Primary auditory cortex - increased communication within the area, increased grey matter --> improved 'hearing' of sounds  

    3. Secondary auditory cortex - increased activation, increased grey matter --> improved specialised 'understanding' of sounds 

    4. Corpus callosum - increased activation, increased grey matter --> improved 360* sensory understanding   

    This evidence suggests adult musicians may have increased understanding of the sensory environment surrounding them. 

  • Increased fine movement control
    • Increased fine movement control

    The motor system is highly involved in musical instrument playing, from childhood, where the more basic primary areas are engaged to adulthood where the more specialised, secondary areas become involved (the areas that are changed in adults but not in children are in bold). 

    1 Primary Motor Cortex – increased grey matter (the side with the most depending on the instrument, mentioned above), decreased activation --> more efficient control of movement as less activation means less 'brain power' is needed to do the movement. 

    2 Premotor Cortex – increased grey matter --> improved planning of movement. 

    3 Basal Ganglia – increased grey matter --> improved organisation and suppression of unwanted movements for more all round control 

    4 Corpus Callosum – increased activation, increased grey matter --> 'faster' movements 

    5 Cerebellum – increased grey matter --> improved communication between the brain and the muscles for movements that 'work for everyone' 

    This evidence suggests that musical adults may have more organised and efficient control over their bodys movements, particularly in the hands and fingers. 

  • Increased executive function, language and creativity
    • Increased executive function, language and creativity

    More complex practice, involved more cognitive 'power' - recognising patterns, remembering pieces. Therefore, adult musicians may have more widespread, pronounced changes resulting in more highly refined socio-emotional skill (the areas that are changed in adults but not in children are in bold).

    1 Prefrontal Cortex – increased activation --> improved higher-order thinking, e.g., EFs (no increase in grey matter here in adult musicians, may be due to all brains, musical or not, being fully developed by adulthood, so it may merely 'speed up' development in child musicians) 

    2 Broca’s area – stronger activation --> improved language skills 

    3 Basal Ganglia – increased grey matter --> improved ability to choose the appropriate EF (e.g., 'this task needs more memory') and maintain it throughout the task 

    4 Cingulate Cortex – increased activation --> improved control of 'thinking' 

    5 Corpus Callosum – increased activation, increased grey matter --> 'faster' thinking 

    6 Hippocampus – increased grey matter --> improved long-term memory 

    This evidence suggests musical adults may have more control over their 'brain power', sending the appropriate skill to the appropriate task and keeping it there. 

  • Increased emotional intelligence
    • Increased emotional intelligence

    The socio-emotional system is not directly involved in musical training, however, by adulthood 'far-transfer' effects have had the time to accumulate (the areas that are changed in adults but not in children are in bold). 

    1 Prefrontal Cortex – increased activation --> improved language, impulse control, and empathy 

    2 Cingulate Cortex – increased activation --> improved emotional regulation and decision making 

    3 Basal Ganglia – increased grey matter --> improved habit formation and awareness of rewards and the motivation to earn them 

    4 Hippocampus – increased grey matter --> increased emotional processing and regulation 

    This evidence suggests musical adults may improved social skills, navigating the worrld with more empathy and impulse control. Personally, they may also be more prone to sticking with structured habits and have an increased motivation to get to the gold at the end of the rainbow, so to say.  

  • Increased empathy and motivation
    • Increased empathy and motivation

    The behavioural system is the sensory, motor, cognitive, and socio-emotional systems put into action. Therefore, the increased function of those, particularly the socio-emotional skills more proninent in adulthood than children, will improve an adult's behavioural skills (the areas that are changed in adults but not in children are in bold). 

    1 Prefrontal Cortex – increased activation --> improved impulse control and emotional regulation 

    2 Cingulate Cortex – increased activation --> improved decision making, choosing the best way to act 

    3 Basal Ganglia – increased grey matter --> improved movement coordination and habit formation 

Icon

How could this benefit education?

As discussed above, evidence suggests that musical adults, particularly those who began before the age of 7, tend to lead more productive, motivated, and emotionally intelligent lives. These traits are crucial for a functioning society. If incorporating musical training into early education could potentially enhance the skillset of future generations, it seems a worthwhile expense. 

Icon

Read more about some of the studies mentioned ...

- Zaatar's the transformative power of music: Insights into neuroplasticity, health, and disease (click here) - talks about neuroplasticity, how the brain understands music and how its effect changes from young to elderly adults 

- Speranza's music affects functional brain connectivity and is effective in the treatment of neurological disorders (click here) - talks about the effect of music on the brain throughout healthy and unhealthy adulthood 

- Bangert's specialization of the specialized in features of external human brain morphology (click here) - talks about the differences in violinists and pianists brains 

Icon

What evidence is there for the role of music education in brain health throughout life?

Children and Adolescents

Children and Adolescents

CLICK HERE
Adults

Adults

CLICK HERE
Older Adults

Older Adults

CLICK HERE
Feedback here