Neuroplasticity Based on Formal and Informal Musical Activities

• In Event: 3-126 - Understanding and Empowering Student Learning and Development: From Cognitive Neuroscience Lab to student learning promotion

Integrative Statement

Music training is commonly considered to cause neuroplastic changes in the brain, being accompanied by near- and far-transfer effects in behavior. While near-transfer effects in this context mean auditory and motor functions which are directly trained by music instruction, far-transfer effects go beyond those and denote higher cognitive processes (attention, working memory, linguistic and executive functions). However, many of these findings are correlational and especially evidence for far-transfer is heterogeneous.
In Helsinki longitudinal study since early 2000, we have followed up children who are actively involved in individual music instruction to play an instrument. By recording electric brain responses during melodic stimulation (Huotilainen et al. 2009; Tervaniemi et al. 2016), we have shown that these children do display gradually enhancing auditory memory and attentional functions when compared with children who have other hobbies (Putkinen et al. 2014). In parallel, we have shown that toddlers with more musical activities at home with parents, even without instrumental instruction, have improved resilience to auditory distraction, as indicated by brain responses (Putkinen et al. 2013).
Recently, a subset of the subjects in our Helsinki longitudinal study (n = 49, 26 musically trained, 30 females, age 16-21 years) participated in a cross-sectional fMRI experiment investigating the neural underpinnings of the set-shifting component of executive functions. The musically inactive group showed stronger activity than the musically active group particularly in the right inferior frontal cortex and the right intraparietal sulcus. Thus, the results suggest the musically active group was able to perform the executive function task with more efficient use of neural resources than the musically inactive control group.
Taken together, our evidence gives strong support to the views emphasizing the importance of neuroplastic and dynamic brain functions underlying musical expertise. Moreover, the association between musical activities at home and enhancement of attentional functions (Putkinen et al. 2013) suggests that not only formal music instruction but also informal musical activities may modulate the development of neurocognition

Authors

• Mari Tervaniemi, University of Helsinki
  Non-Presenting Author

• Vesa Putkinen, University of Turku
  Presenting Author

• Minna Huotilainen, University of Helsinki
  Non-Presenting Author