Music practice is associated with development of working memory during childhood and adolescence

Abstract

Practicing a musical instrument is associated with cognitive benefits and structural brain changes in correlational and interventional trials; however, the effect of musical training on cognition during childhood is still unclear. In this longitudinal study of child development we analyzed the association between musical practice and performance on reasoning, processing speed and working memory (WM) during development. Subjects (n = 352) between the ages of 6 and 25 years participated in neuropsychological assessments and neuroimaging investigations (n = 64) on two or three occasions, 2 years apart. Mixed model regression showed that musical practice had an overall positive association with WM capacity (visuo-spatial WM, F = 4.59, p = 0.033, verbal WM, F = 9.69, p = 0.002), processing speed, (F = 4.91, p = 0.027) and reasoning (Raven’s progressive matrices, F = 28.34, p < 0.001) across all three time points, after correcting for the effect of parental education and other after school activities. Music players also had larger gray matter volume in the temporo-occipital and insular cortex (p = 0.008), areas previously reported to be related to musical notation reading. The change in WM between the time points was proportional to the weekly hours spent on music practice for both WM tests (VSWM, β = 0.351, p = 0.003, verbal WM, β = 0.261, p = 0.006) but this was not significant for reasoning ability (β = 0.021, p = 0.090). These effects remained when controlling for parental education and other after school activities. In conclusion, these results indicate that music practice positively affects WM development and support the importance of practice for the development of WM during childhood and adolescence.

Childhood cognitive development as a skill

“…Education is likely important, as suggested for example by cognitive transfer effects of intensive studying [76] and the effects of schooling on IQ [77]. Other candidates are challenging activities, with frequent, attention and WM demanding training, aimed at improving skills, such as playing a musical instrument [78], which in one study was associated with both higher WM capacity, steeper slope of development, and larger striatal volume [79].…”

Effects of short-term music and second-language training on executive control

“…Nutley, Darki, and Klingberg (2014) conducted a longitudinal assessment of the effects of musical training on verbal and spatial WM with 352 participants between 6 and 25 years of age, at 2 or 3 time points, 2 years apart. Mixed model regression analyses revealed an overall positive association between practicing music and WM, processing speed, and reasoning, showing that music training taps into higher-order cognitive abilities.…”

Effect of Playing a Musical Instrument on Cerebral Maturation

“…Musical practice had a positive association with visuospatial and verbal word memory, processing speed, and reasoning (P < .001) across all 3 time points, after correcting for the effect of parental education and other activities. 4 These reports emphasize the benefits of musical training as an integral part of the education of children and adolescents. In an editorial accompanying the current study, Frank proposes that playing music or perhaps singing in a choir might help to maintain and promote mental health, as well as possibly improving attention control and behavioral inhibition.…”