Contents
Every day, the brain of a modern person processes huge flows of information. It is not surprising that from time to time everyone thinks about memory training. He solves puzzles for a couple of days, learns poetry, solves crossword puzzles, and then abandons classes. We offer an easier and more enjoyable way to improve memory skills — listening to music.
What happens to the brain while listening to music?
The comparison that “the brain is experiencing a kind of “neural symphony” is not an exaggeration, since listening to music activates many parts of the brain. And it doesn’t matter if a person has a musical education or any training.
The areas responsible for auditory skills enter into a dialogue with the area responsible for movement, in particular, with the cerebral cortex, the so-called cortex. That is why, when we hear certain music, we feel like dancing. The brain constantly evaluates melodies for pleasure or displeasure. This involves a section that is called «the path to the reward.» And if we really like music, we begin to actively produce dopamine, and our well-being improves.
What is special about musical memory?
The perception of music is directly related to the work of memorizing it. This involves those areas of the brain that are responsible for analysis, decoding and memory, that is, the hippocampus. Studies have shown that listening carefully to music activates more areas of the brain than, for example, learning a language. The so-called musical memory is the slowest to give up with the aging of the brain.
The field of auditory perception and the center of speech use virtually the same resources, therefore, when correcting pathologies, both clinicians and orthophonists-speech therapists use this. In the process of treatment, doctors use and develop the musical skills of patients with speech difficulties. For example, the skill of humming helps children with dyslexia more clearly divide words into syllables and correctly intonate sentences.
Can music lessons protect against neurodegenerative diseases?
An increasing number of scientific studies prove that this is possible. A recent experiment showed that if one of two twins with the same genetic code is a musician who has devoted his whole life to this occupation, he is much more likely to avoid Alzheimer’s disease.
Another study has shown that older people who complain of memory problems experience cognitive improvements after 3-6 months of regular music practice. The pleasure derived from listening to music is comparable in effect to the brain with meditation. Mastering any new type of physical activity — walking, swimming — also has a positive effect on brain function and serves as a prevention against aging. This news should inspire young pensioners to new creative and sporting exploits.
Source: pourbienvieillir.fr