Sissela Bergman Nutley|Fahimeh Darki|Torkel Klingberg
Music practice is associated with development of working memory during childhood and adolescence
Karolinska Institutet|Karolinska Institutet|Karolinska Institutet
practicing musical instrument associated cognitive benefits structural brain changes correlational interventional trials however effect musical training cognition childhood still unclear longitudinal study child development analyzed association musical practice performance reasoning processing speed working memory wm development subjects n 352 ages 6 25 years participated neuropsychological assessments neuroimaging investigations n 64 two three occasions 2 years apart mixed model regression showed musical practice overall positive association wm capacity visuospatial wm f 459 p 0033 verbal wm f 969 p 0002 processing speed f 491 p 0027 reasoning ravens progressive matrices f 2834 p 0001 across three time points correcting effect parental education school activities music players also larger gray matter volume temporooccipital insular cortex p 0008 areas previously reported related musical notation reading change wm time points proportional weekly hours spent music practice wm tests vswm 0351 p 0003 verbal wm 0261 p 0006 significant reasoning ability 0021 p 0090 effects remained controlling parental education school activities conclusion results indicate music practice positively affects wm development support importance practice development wm childhood adolescence