A zenei agy: Tanulás és memória

Human musical behaviour is a joyous activity that has captivated hearts and minds for centuries. Music educators have often claimed that musical learning can have a range of benefits for children, from increased personal and social well-being to enhanced cultural understanding and even academic achievement. Recent experimental studies in the fields of psychology and neuroscience are beginning to add weight to such claims, with a growing body of research identifying the full extent to which the brain engages with musical stimuli, and the potential effects of musical training on brain functions and structure. In this paper, I will begin by discussing the joyfulness of musical behaviour and its relevance in human experience, particularly during childhood. This will be followed by a summary of recent research findings on the neural basis of musical processing and evidence that musical training can affect certain aspects of brain function and structure. The focus of this part of the study will be on learning and memory, and specifically on language and motor skills. I will then outline four different experimental studies conducted in the Institute for Music in Human and Social Development at the University of Edinburgh, each of which investigated a different aspect of musical learning.