Brain changes can follow childhood music lessons
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2013 11:15 AM

If parents want to see their children achieve a high score when they take an IQ test for kids, they may want to promote an early interest in music. That is because new research from Concordia University reveals that individuals who receive music lessons before the age of 7 may develop stronger brain connections.

These findings, which are published in the "Journal of Neuroscience," show that music lessons early in life can have a positive impact on parts of the brain related to movement. The researchers behind this study believe that when people receive musical training between the ages of 6 and 8, the brain has a chance to undergo long-lasting structural changes.

"Learning to play an instrument requires coordination between hands and with visual or auditory stimuli," said Virginia Penhune, a psychology professor at the University. "Practicing an instrument before age 7 likely boosts the normal maturation of connections between motor and sensory regions of the brain, creating a framework upon which ongoing training can build."

Based on this research, parents who want their children to become well-rounded and intelligent adults may want to encourage them to pick up an instrument and start taking lessons.