Short-term second language and music training induces lasting functional brain changes in early childhood

Temporal resolution and pitch discrimination in music education: novel data in children

BACKGROUND

Rehabilitation of hearing and listening difficulties through neuroplasticity of the auditory nervous system is a promising technique. Evidence of enhanced auditory processing in adult musicians is often not based on clinical auditory processing tests and is lacking in children with musical education.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to investigate the temporal resolution and frequency discrimination elements of auditory processing both in adults and children with musical education and to compare them with those without any musical education.

METHODS

Participants consisted of ten children without musical training and ten children with musical training with mean age 11.3 years and range 8-15 years as well as ten adults without musical education and ten adults with musical education with mean age 38.1 years and range 30-45 years. All participants were tested with two temporal resolution tests (GIN:Gaps-In-Noise and RGDT:Random Gap Detection Test), a temporal ordering frequency test (FPT:Frequency Pattern Test), and a frequency discrimination test (DLF: Different Limen for Frequency).

RESULTS

All test results revealed better performance in both children and adults with musical training for both ears.

CONCLUSION

A positive effect of formal music education for specific auditory processing elements in both children and adults is documented. Larger samples, longitudinal studies, as well as groups with impaired hearing and/or auditory processing are needed to further substantiate the effect shown.

Digital rhythm training improves reading fluency in children

Musical instrument training has been linked to improved academic and cognitive abilities in children, but it remains unclear why this occurs. Moreover, access to instrument training is not always feasible, thereby leaving less fortunate children without opportunity to benefit from such training. Although music-based video games may be more accessible to a broader population, research is lacking regarding their benefits on academic and cognitive performance. To address this gap, we assessed a custom-designed, digital rhythm training game as a proxy for instrument training to evaluate its ability to engender benefits in math and reading abilities. Furthermore, we tested for changes in core cognitive functions related to math and reading to inform how rhythm training may facilitate improved academic abilities. Classrooms of 8-9 year old children were randomized to receive either 6 weeks of rhythm training (N = 32) or classroom instruction as usual (control; N = 21). Compared to the control group, results showed that rhythm training improved reading, but not math, fluency. Assessments of cognition showed that rhythm training also led to improved rhythmic timing and language-based executive function (Stroop task), but not sustained attention, inhibitory control, or working memory. Interestingly, only the improvements in rhythmic timing correlated with improvements in reading ability. Together, these results provide novel evidence that a digital platform may serve as a proxy for musical instrument training to facilitate reading fluency in children, and that such reading improvements are related to enhanced rhythmic timing ability and not other cognitive functions associated with reading performance. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Digital rhythm training in the classroom can improve reading fluency in 8-9 year old children Improvements in reading fluency were positively correlated with enhanced rhythmic timing ability Alterations in reading fluency were not predicted by changes in other executive functions that support reading A digital platform may be a convenient and cost-effective means to provide musical rhythm training, which in turn, can facilitate academic skills.

Positive or negative environmental modulations on human brain development: the morpho-functional outcomes of music training or stress

In the last couple of decades, the study of human living brain has benefitted of neuroimaging and non-invasive electrophysiological techniques, which are particularly valuable during development. A number of studies allowed to trace the usual stages leading from pregnancy to adult age, and relate them to functional and behavioral measurements. It was also possible to explore the effects of some interventions, behavioral or not, showing that the commonly followed pathway to adulthood may be steered by external interventions. These events may result in behavioral modifications but also in structural changes, in some cases limiting plasticity or extending/modifying critical periods. In this review, we outline the healthy human brain development in the absence of major issues or diseases. Then, the effects of negative (different stressors) and positive (music training) environmental stimuli on brain and behavioral development is depicted. Hence, it may be concluded that the typical development follows a course strictly dependent from environmental inputs, and that external intervention can be designed to positively counteract negative influences, particularly at young ages. We also focus on the social aspect of development, which starts in utero and continues after birth by building social relationships. This poses a great responsibility in handling children education and healthcare politics, pointing to social accountability for the responsible development of each child.

Beneficial effects of a music listening intervention on neural speech processing in 0-28-month-old children at risk for dyslexia

Familial risk for developmental dyslexia can compromise auditory and speech processing and subsequent language and literacy development. According to the phonological deficit theory, supporting phonological development during the sensitive infancy period could prevent or ameliorate future dyslexic symptoms. Music is an established method for supporting auditory and speech processing and even language and literacy, but no previous studies have investigated its benefits for infants at risk for developmental language and reading disorders. We pseudo-randomized N∼150 infants at risk for dyslexia to vocal or instrumental music listening interventions at 0-6 months, or to a no-intervention control group. Music listening was used as an easy-to-administer, cost-effective intervention in early infancy. Mismatch responses (MMRs) elicited by speech-sound changes were recorded with electroencephalogram (EEG) before (at birth) and after (at 6 months) the intervention and at a 28 months follow-up. We expected particularly the vocal intervention to promote phonological development, evidenced by enhanced speech-sound MMRs and their fast maturation. We found enhanced positive MMR amplitudes in the vocal music listening intervention group after but not prior to the intervention. Other music activities reported by parents did not differ between the three groups, indicating that the group effects were attributable to the intervention. The results speak for the use of vocal music in early infancy to support speech processing and subsequent language development in infants at developmental risk. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Dyslexia-risk infants were pseudo-randomly assigned to a vocal or instrumental music listening intervention at home from birth to 6 months of age. Neural mismatch responses (MMRs) to speech-sound changes were enhanced in the vocal music intervention group after but not prior to the intervention. Even passive vocal music listening in early infancy can support phonological development known to be deficient in dyslexia-risk.

A new acquisition protocol for conducting studies with children: The science camp research experience

In the last 50 years, the study of brain development has brought major discoveries to education and medicine, changing the lives of millions of children and families. However, collecting behavioral and neurophysiological data from children has specific challenges, such as high rates of data loss and participant dropout. We have developed a science camp method to collect data from children using the benefits of positive peer interactions and interactive and engaging activities, to allow researchers to better collect data repeatedly and reliably from groups of children. A key advantage of this approach is that by increasing participant engagement, attention is also increased, thereby increasing data quality, reducing data loss, and lowering attrition rates. This protocol describes the step-by-step procedure for facilitation of a science camp, including behavioral, electrophysiological, and participatory engagement activities. As this method is robust but also flexible, we anticipate that it can also be applied to different demographics and research needs.

Learning to play a musical instrument in the middle school is associated with superior audiovisual working memory and fluid intelligence: A cross-sectional behavioral study

Music training, in all its forms, is known to have an impact on behavior both in childhood and even in aging. In the delicate life period of transition from childhood to adulthood, music training might have a special role for behavioral and cognitive maturation. Among the several kinds of music training programs implemented in the educational communities, we focused on instrumental training incorporated in the public middle school curriculum in Italy that includes both individual, group and collective (orchestral) lessons several times a week. At three middle schools, we tested 285 preadolescent children (aged 10–14 years) with a test and questionnaire battery including adaptive tests for visuo-spatial working memory skills (with the Jack and Jill test), fluid intelligence (with a matrix reasoning test) and music-related perceptual and memory abilities (with listening tests). Of these children, 163 belonged to a music curriculum within the school and 122 to a standard curriculum. Significant differences between students of the music and standard curricula were found in both perceptual and cognitive domains, even when controlling for pre-existing individual differences in musical sophistication. The music children attending the third and last grade of middle school had better performance and showed the largest advantage compared to the control group on both audiovisual working memory and fluid intelligence. Furthermore, some gender differences were found for several tests and across groups in favor of females. The present results indicate that learning to play a musical instrument as part of the middle school curriculum represents a resource for preadolescent education. Even though the current evidence is not sufficient to establish the causality of the found effects, it can still guide future research evaluation with longitudinal data.

Different Music Training Modulates Theta Brain Oscillations Associated with Executive Function

Different music training involves different hand coordination levels and may have a significant influence on brain oscillation for the executive function. However, few research has focused on the plasticity of executive function and the brain oscillation modulated by different musical instrument training modules. In this study, we recruited 18 string musicians, 20 pianists, and 19 non-musicians to perform a bimanual key pressing task during EEG recording. Behavioral results revealed that pianists have the highest accuracy and the shortest response time, followed by string musicians and non-musicians (p < 0.05). Time-frequency analyses of EEG revealed that pianists generated significantly greater theta power than the other groups from 500 ms to 800 ms post-stimulus in mid-central, frontal brain areas, and motor control areas. Functional connectivity analyses found that the pianists showed significantly greater connectivity in the frontal-parietal area in theta band based on phase-locking value analysis, which suggests that piano training improves executive function and enhances the connectivity between prefrontal and mid-central regions. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the effects of different music training on executive function.

Music and Visual Art Training Increase Auditory-Evoked Theta Oscillations in Older Adults

Music training was shown to induce changes in auditory processing in older adults. However, most findings stem from correlational studies and fewer examine long-term sustainable benefits. Moreover, research shows small and variable changes in auditory event-related potential (ERP) amplitudes and/or latencies in older adults. Conventional time domain analysis methods, however, are susceptible to latency jitter in evoked responses and may miss important information of brain processing. Here, we used time-frequency analyses to examine training-related changes in auditory-evoked oscillatory activity in healthy older adults (N = 50) assigned to a music training (n = 16), visual art training (n = 17), or a no-treatment control (n = 17) group. All three groups were presented with oddball auditory paradigms with synthesized piano tones or vowels during the acquisition of high-density EEG. Neurophysiological measures were collected at three-time points: pre-training, post-training, and at a three-month follow-up. Training programs were administered for 12-weeks. Increased theta power was found pre and post- training for the music (p = 0.010) and visual art group (p = 0.010) as compared to controls (p = 0.776) and maintained at the three-month follow-up. Results showed training-related plasticity on auditory processing in aging adults. Neuroplastic changes were maintained three months post-training, suggesting music and visual art programs yield lasting benefits that might facilitate encoding, retention, and memory retrieval.

Does music training enhance auditory and linguistic processing? A systematic review and meta-analysis of behavioral and brain evidence

It is often claimed that music training improves auditory and linguistic skills. Results of individual studies are mixed, however, and most evidence is correlational, precluding inferences of causation. Here, we evaluated data from 62 longitudinal studies that examined whether music training programs affect behavioral and brain measures of auditory and linguistic processing (N = 3928). For the behavioral data, a multivariate meta-analysis revealed a small positive effect of music training on both auditory and linguistic measures, regardless of the type of assignment (random vs. non-random), training (instrumental vs. non-instrumental), and control group (active vs. passive). The trim-and-fill method provided suggestive evidence of publication bias, but meta-regression methods (PET-PEESE) did not. For the brain data, a narrative synthesis also documented benefits of music training, namely for measures of auditory processing and for measures of speech and prosody processing. Thus, the available literature provides evidence that music training produces small neurobehavioral enhancements in auditory and linguistic processing, although future studies are needed to confirm that such enhancements are not due to publication bias.

Children with autism spectrum disorder show atypical electroencephalographic response to processing contextual incongruencies

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience difficulties with social communication, making it challenging to interpret contextual information that aids in accurately interpreting language. To investigate how the brain processes the contextual information and how this is different in ASD, we compared event-related potentials (ERPs) in response to processing visual and auditory congruent and incongruent information. Two groups of children participated in the study: 37 typically developing children and 15 children with ASD (age range = 6 to 12). We applied a language task involving auditory sentences describing congruent or incongruent images. We investigated two ERP components associated with language processing: the N400 and P600. Our results showed how children with ASD present significant differences in their neural responses in comparison with the TD group, even when their reaction times and correct trials are not significantly different from the TD group.

Effects of Psychoacoustic Training on the Pre-Attentive Processing of Harmonic Sounds and Syllables

PURPOSE

This article aimed at investigating the neural underpinnings of music-to-language transfer effects at the pre-attentive level of processing.

METHOD

We conducted a longitudinal experiment with a test-training-retest procedure. Nonmusician adults were trained either on frequency (experimental group) or on intensity (control group) of harmonic tones using methods from psychophysics. Pre- and posttraining, we recorded brain electrical activity and we analyzed the mismatch negativity (MMN) and the P3a component both to harmonic complex sounds and to syllables varying in frequency.

RESULTS

Frequency training influenced the pre-attentive perception of pitch for large harmonic deviant sounds but not for syllables.

CONCLUSION

Results are discussed in terms of near and far transfer effects from psychoacoustic training to pre-attentive pitch processing and as possibly showing some limits to transfer effects.

On Neuroeducation: Why and How to Improve Neuroscientific Literacy in Educational Professionals

New findings from the neurosciences receive much interest for use in the applied field of education. For the past 15 years, neuroeducation and the application of neuroscience knowledge were seen to have promise, but there is presently some lack of progress. The present paper states that this is due to several factors. Neuromyths are still prevalent, and there is a confusion of tongues between the many neurodisciplines and the domains of behavioral and educational sciences. Second, a focus upon cognitive neuroimaging research has yielded findings that are scientifically relevant, but cannot be used for direct application in the classroom. A third factor pertains to the emphasis which has been on didactics and teaching, whereas the promise of neuroeducation for the teacher may lie more on pedagogical inspiration and support. This article states that the most important knowledge and insights have to do with the notion of brain plasticity; the vision that development is driven by an interaction between a person's biology and the social system. This helps individuals to select and process information, and to adapt to the personal environment. The paper describes how brain maturation and neuropsychological development extend through the important period of adolescence and emergent adulthood. Over this long period, there is a major development of the Executive Functions (EFs) that are essential for both cognitive learning, social behavior and emotional processing and, eventually, personal growth. The paper describes the basic neuroscience knowledge and insights - or "neuroscientific literacy" - that the educational professional should have to understand and appreciate the above-described themes. The authors formulate a proposal for four themes of neuroscience content "that every teacher should know." These four themes are based on the Neuroscience Core Concepts formulated by the Society for Neuroscience. The authors emphasize that integrating neuroscientific knowledge and insights in the field of education should not be a one-way street; attempts directed at improving neuroscientific literacy are a transdisciplinary undertaking. Teacher trainers, experts from the neuroscience fields but also behavioral scientists from applied fields (notable applied neuropsychologists) should all contribute to for the educational innovations needed.

Training Effects and Intelligent Evaluated Pattern of the Holistic Music Educational Approach for Children with Developmental Delay

This study focuses on the holistic music educational approach for young children developed by music therapists and experts, which combines technology with music, integrates it into the local culture, and frameworks it for holistic education. This method includes 231 children in Taiwan's early intervention education system for children with developmental delay. The learning occurs twice a week for 40 min over 32 weeks. The results show that implementing the holistic music educational approach can significantly improve children's ability with developmental delay and that supportive training has a positive effect. In addition, the decision tree explores and develops an intelligently evaluated pattern with highly effective learning. This model has a sensitivity rate of 90.6% on the in-sample, and the comprehensive indicator F is 79.9%, so it has a high reference value. In the future, those involved in education will be able to use the data mining to use the auxiliary decision-making system as an assessment tool for young children participating in education pre- and midterm of the course, to prejudge its continued implementation and learning effectiveness, to decide whether to continue to invest in and adjust the curriculum, and to make more effective use of educational resources.

Gamma-Band Frequency Analysis and Motor Development in Music-Trained Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the gamma-band frequency and motor performance of children with and without music training.Methods: This cross-sectional study included 31 right-handed children, 6-11 years old, who were allocated to two groups: 1) the music group (MG), including children who attended preschool and musical training (n = 16), and 2) the no-music group (NMG), including children who attended preschool but received no additional music training (n = 15). The outcomes were gamma-band frequency measured by electroencephalography, manual dexterity, aim-and-catch, and static and dynamic balance abilities measured by the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, and fine motor skills, overall motor skills, balance, corporal body scheme, spatial organization, temporal orientation, and general motor quotient (GMQ) by a Brazilian scale for motor development.Results: There 1was a significant difference between groups in the peak frequency (p = 0.0195) and median frequency (p = 0.0070) in the F3-F4 regions. Static and dynamic balance (p = 0.03), temporal orientation (p < 0.01), and GMQ (p < 0.03) were higher in MG than in NMG.Conclusion: The musically trained children had increased gamma-peak frequency in the frontal region and greater temporal orientation, balance, and the overall motor quotient.

The Effect of Learning English on P300 in Children

Introduction  Learning a second language is an essential task in today's world, and is experienced by many children. The cognitive auditory-evoked potential (P300) is related to cognitive activity, attention and concentration, enabling the investigation of the effect of a second language on the central auditory pathway. Objective  To analyze the effects of learning English on P300 latency and amplitude in children and to correlate them with age, time of exposure to English, and time in class. Method  An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional and quantitative study, in which 33 children, aged between 5 and 9 years and 11 months, of both genders participated, 14 of them in the process of learning English (study group) and 19 without this experience (control group). All subjects had their P300 evaluated using the Intelligent Hearing Systems (IHS, Miami, FL, US) Smart EP equipment. A total of 300 binaural stimuli were used in 75 dBnHL, as well as 240 frequent and 60 rare stimuli, using the pairs /ba/ and /di/ respectively. Results  There was a statistically significant difference regarding P300 latency between the groups, and children exposed to English classes had lower latency in this component. No statistical difference was found between P300 amplitudes. No correlation was observed regarding age, time of exposure to English, time in class, and electrophysiological responses. Conclusion  The Children exposed to English classes had the most stimulating auditory pathway, because their P300 had lower latency, being a resource for the speech therapy clinic.

Implications of musical practice in central auditory processing: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Recent studies have shown that musical practice and training are effective and have the potential to assist in the acquisition and improvement of auditory skills.

OBJECTIVE

To verify the scientific evidence on the implications of musical practice in central auditory processing.

METHODS

A systematic review was carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), using the Medline (Pubmed), LILACS, SciELO, BIREME, Scopus and Web of Science databases. The search period for the articles covered the last 5 years (2015-2020), without restriction of language and location. The quality of the articles was assessed, and the review included articles with a minimum score of 6 in a modified literature quality scale.

RESULTS

Initially, 1362 publications were found, of which 1338 were excluded after the title screening, 15 were excluded due to the abstract, with nine articles being analyzed in full and four of them excluded after the analysis, as they did not answer the guiding question proposed for this research. Five articles that met the proposed inclusion criteria were admitted for this research. It was found that in adults, musical ability is associated with better performance of several auditory processing skills, as well as the fact that musical training in children promoted an accelerated maturity of auditory processing and exposure to music facilitated the learning of auditory information in newborns.

CONCLUSION

Considering the scientific evidence, it was found that the musical experience can improve specific skills of the central auditory processing, regardless of age, optimizing children's linguistic development.

Formal String Instrument Training in a Class Setting Enhances Cognitive and Sensorimotor Development of Primary School Children

This cluster randomized controlled trial provides evidence that focused musical instrumental practice, in comparison to traditional sensitization to music, provokes multiple transfer effects in the cognitive and sensorimotor domain. Over the last 2 years of primary school (10-12 years old), 69 children received group music instruction by professional musicians twice a week as part of the regular school curriculum. The intervention group learned to play string instruments, whereas the control group (i.e., peers in parallel classes) was sensitized to music via listening, theory and some practice. Broad benefits manifested in the intervention group as compared to the control group for working memory, attention, processing speed, cognitive flexibility, matrix reasoning, sensorimotor hand function, and bimanual coordination Apparently, learning to play a complex instrument in a dynamic group setting impacts development much stronger than classical sensitization to music. Our results therefore highlight the added value of intensive musical instrumental training in a group setting within the school curriculum. These results encourage general implementation of such training in public primary schools, thus better preparing children for secondary school and for daily living activities.

The role of working memory in children's ability for prosodic discrimination

Previous research established that young children are sensitive to prosodic cues discriminating between syntactic structures of otherwise similarly sounding sentences in a language unknown to them. In this study, we explore the role of working memory that children might deploy for the purpose of the sentence-level prosodic discrimination. Nine-year old Slovenian monolingual and bilingual children (N = 70) were tested on a same-different prosodic discrimination task in a language unknown to them (French) and on the working memory measures in the form of forward and backward digit span and non-word repetition tasks. The results suggest that both the storage and processing components of the working memory are involved in the prosodic discrimination task.

Sustained Effect of Music Training on the Enhancement of Executive Function in Preschool Children

Musical training is an enrichment activity involving multiple senses, including auditory, visual, somatosensorial, attention, memory, and executive function (EF), all of which are related to cognition. This study examined whether musical training enhances EF in preschool children who had not undergone previous systematic music learning. This study also explored the after-effects 12 weeks after cessation of musical training. Participants were 61 preschool children from a university-affiliated kindergarten in North China. The experimental group underwent 12 weeks of integrated musical training (i.e., music theory, singing, dancing, and role-playing), while the control group performed typical daily classroom activities. The three components (inhibitory control, working memory, cognitive flexibility) of executive functions were evaluated using the Day/Night Stroop, Dimensional Change Card Sort, Dot Matrix Test, and Backward Digit Span Task. In Experiment 1, EFs were tested twice-before (T1) and after (T2) the music training. The results showed that children's EFs could be promoted by musical training. In addition, EFs were tested again 12 weeks later after the end of the intervention (T3) in Experiment 2. We discovered that integrated musical training demonstrated a sustained promotion effect.

The effects of short-term musical training on the neural processing of speech-in-noise in older adults

Experienced musicians outperform non-musicians in understanding speech-in-noise (SPIN). The benefits of lifelong musicianship endure into older age, where musicians experience smaller declines in their ability to understand speech in noisy environments. However, it is presently unknown whether commencing musical training in old age can also counteract age-related decline in speech perception, and whether such training induces changes in neural processing of speech. Here, we recruited older adult non-musicians and assigned them to receive a short course of piano or videogame training, or no training. Participants completed two sessions of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging where they performed a SPIN task prior to and following training. While we found no direct benefit of musical training upon SPIN perception, an exploratory Region of Interest analysis revealed increased cortical responses to speech in left Middle Frontal and Supramarginal Gyri which correlated with changes in SPIN task performance in the group which received music training. These results suggest that short-term musical training in older adults may enhance neural encoding of speech, with the potential to reduce age-related decline in speech perception.

Musical playschool activities are linked to faster auditory development during preschool-age: a longitudinal ERP study

The influence of musical experience on brain development has been mostly studied in school-aged children with formal musical training while little is known about the possible effects of less formal musical activities typical for preschool-aged children (e.g., before the age of seven). In the current study, we investigated whether the amount of musical group activities is reflected in the maturation of neural sound discrimination from toddler to preschool-age. Specifically, we recorded event-related potentials longitudinally (84 recordings from 33 children) in a mismatch negativity (MMN) paradigm to different musically relevant sound changes at ages 2–3, 4–5 and 6–7 years from children who attended a musical playschool throughout the follow-up period and children with shorter attendance to the same playschool. In the first group, we found a gradual positive to negative shift in the polarities of the mismatch responses while the latter group showed little evidence of age-related changes in neural sound discrimination. The current study indicates that the maturation of sound encoding indexed by the MMN may be more protracted than once thought and provides first longitudinal evidence that even quite informal musical group activities facilitate the development of neural sound discrimination during early childhood.

Annual Research Review: Educational neuroscience: progress and prospects

Educational neuroscience is an interdisciplinary research field that seeks to translate research findings on neural mechanisms of learning to educational practice and policy and to understand the effects of education on the brain. Neuroscience and education can interact directly, by virtue of considering the brain as a biological organ that needs to be in the optimal condition to learn ('brain health'); or indirectly, as neuroscience shapes psychological theory and psychology influences education. In this article, we trace the origins of educational neuroscience, its main areas of research activity and the principal challenges it faces as a translational field. We consider how a pure psychology approach that ignores neuroscience is at risk of being misleading for educators. We address the major criticisms of the field comprising, respectively, a priori arguments against the relevance of neuroscience to education, reservations with the current practical operation of the field, and doubts about the viability of neuroscience methods for diagnosing disorders or predicting individual differences. We consider future prospects of the field and ethical issues it raises. Finally, we discuss the challenge of responding to the (welcome) desire of education policymakers to include neuroscience evidence in their policymaking, while ensuring recommendations do not exceed the limitations of current basic science.

Electrophysiology of Inhibitory Control in the Context of Emotion Processing in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an increasingly common developmental disorder that affects 1 in 59 children. Despite this high prevalence of ASD, knowledge regarding the biological basis of its associated cognitive difficulties remains scant. In this study, we aimed to identify altered neurophysiological responses underlying inhibitory control and emotion processing difficulties in ASD, together with their associations with age and various domains of cognitive and social function. This was accomplished by assessing electroencephalographic recordings during an emotional go/nogo task alongside parent rating scales of behavior. Event related potential (ERP) N200 component amplitudes were reduced in children with ASD compared to typically developing (TD) children. No group differences were found, however, for task performance, P300 amplitude or latency, or N170 amplitude or latency, suggesting that individuals with ASD may only present conflict monitoring abnormalities, as reflected by the reduced N200 component, compared to TD individuals. Consistent with previous findings, increased age correlated with improved task performance scores and reduced N200 amplitude in the TD group, indicating that as these children develop, their neural systems become more efficient. These associations were not identified in the ASD group. Results also showed significant associations between increased N200 amplitudes and improved executive control abilities and decreased autism traits in TD children only. The newly discovered findings of decreased brain activation in children with ASD, alongside differences in correlations with age compared to TD children, provide a potential neurophysiological indicator of atypical development of inhibitory control mechanisms in these individuals.

Treinamento musical e habilidades do processamento auditivo em crianças: revisão sistemática

RESUMO Objetivo Verificar a contribuição do treinamento musical nas habilidades do processamento auditivo em crianças. Estratégia de pesquisa Realizou-se uma busca no mês de agosto de 2018, usando os descritores Music, Child, Childhood, Children, Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Auditory Perception, Auditory Processing, utilizando o operador AND. Critérios de seleção Como questão norteadora, adotou-se a seguinte pergunta: “o que existe na literatura científica sobre a contribuição do treinamento musical nas habilidades de processamento auditivo em crianças?” Após, foram selecionados somente ensaios clínicos controlados na população infantil, estudos publicados em inglês, português e espanhol. Resultados A estratégia de busca resultou na seleção de dez artigos. Os estudos evidenciaram diversas habilidades testadas e diferentes formas de avaliação. Conclusão Com base nos achados, pode-se concluir que o treinamento musical melhora e aprimora as habilidades de processamento auditivo, de forma que quanto maior o tempo de treinamento, mais essas habilidades são reforçadas. Dessa forma, o treinamento musical mostra-se um método eficaz e com potencialidade para ser utilizado em crianças, tanto no período de desenvolvimento da comunicação oral e escrita, para auxiliar a aquisição das habilidades auditivas, como após a aquisição afim de aprimorá-las.

Measuring the Timing of the Bilingual Advantage

Empirical evidence has supported the idea that the bilingual advantage is a question of nuanced differences between bilinguals and monolinguals. In this article, I review findings from studies using eye tracking, mouse tracking, and event-related potentials (ERPs) which are particularly suited to measure time. Understanding the timing of the processes underlying executive function is crucial in evaluating the intricacies of the bilingual mind. Furthermore, I provide recommendations on how to best use these timing techniques to compare bilinguals and monolinguals. Temporal differences can characterize ongoing discussions of the bilingual advantage and help explain conflicting findings. Methodological and analytical innovations to better investigate the timing of the cognitive processes at play will inform a wide range of areas in cognitive science.

Weight loss, behavioral change, and structural neuroplasticity in children with obesity through a multidisciplinary treatment program

This study evaluated the effect of a multidisciplinary treatment program for children with obesity (OB) on motor competence, executive functioning (EF), and brain structure. Nineteen children with OB (7-11 years), who attended a multidisciplinary treatment program consisting of diet restriction, cognitive behavioral therapy, and physical activity, were compared with an age-matched control group of 24 children with a healthy weight (HW), who did not follow any treatment. For both groups, anthropometric measurements and tests of motor competence and EF were administered twice, with 5 months between pretest and posttest. Additionally, children's brain structure was assessed by performing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan at the pretest and posttest, which included a T1 anatomical scan, diffusion MRI scan, and magnetization transfer imaging scan. Compared to HW controls, children with OB lost a considerable amount of their body mass (p ≤ .001) and significantly improved their balance skills (p ≤ .001), while no transfer effects of the program were observed for EF. Furthermore, the program resulted in a significant increase in total (p ≤ .001) and cerebellar (p ≤ .001) gray matter volume in children with OB, while no change was observed in the HW controls. Finally, only weak to moderate (nonsignificant) correlations could be observed between structural brain alterations, weight-related changes, and behavioral improvements. Altogether, this is the first longitudinal study showing behavioral and structural brain alterations in response to a multidisciplinary weight loss program for children with OB. Our findings support the need for multidimensional intervention (and prevention) measures for children with OB to deal with this multifactorial health problem.

Correlation between musical aptitude and learning foreign languages: an epidemiological study in secondary school Italian students

The aim of this study was to assess if a correlation exists between language learning skills and musical aptitude through the analysis of scholarly outcomes concerning the study of foreign languages and music. We enrolled 502 students from a secondary Italian school (10-14 years old), attending both traditional courses (2 hours/week of music classes scheduled) and special courses (six hours). For statistical analysis, we considered grades in English, French and Music. Our results showed a significant correlation between grades in the two foreign languages and in music, both in the traditional courses and in special courses, and better results in French than for special courses. These results are discussed and interpreted through the literature about neuroanatomical and physiological mechanisms of foreign language learning and music perception.

Children's early bilingualism and musical training influence prosodic discrimination of sentences in an unknown language

This study investigated whether early bilingualism and early musical training positively influence the ability to discriminate between prosodic patterns corresponding to different syntactic structures in otherwise phonetically identical sentences in an unknown language. In a same-different discrimination task, participants (N = 108) divided into four groups (monolingual non-musicians, monolingual musicians, bilingual non-musicians, and bilingual musicians) listened to pairs of short sentences in a language unknown to them (French). In discriminating phonetically identical but prosodically different sentences, musicians, bilinguals, and bilingual musicians outperformed the controls. However, there was no interaction between bilingualism and musical training to suggest an additive effect. These results underscore the significant role of both types of experience in enhancing the listeners' sensitivity to prosodic information.

Music perception improves in children with bilateral cochlear implants or bimodal devices

The objectives of this study were to determine if music perception by pediatric cochlear implant users can be improved by (1) providing access to bilateral hearing through two cochlear implants or a cochlear implant and a contralateral hearing aid (bimodal users) and (2) any history of music training. The Montreal Battery of Evaluation of Musical Ability test was presented via soundfield to 26 bilateral cochlear implant users, 8 bimodal users and 16 children with normal hearing. Response accuracy and reaction time were recorded via an iPad application. Bilateral cochlear implant and bimodal users perceived musical characteristics less accurately and more slowly than children with normal hearing. Children who had music training were faster and more accurate, regardless of their hearing status. Reaction time on specific subtests decreased with age, years of musical training and, for implant users, better residual hearing. Despite effects of these factors on reaction time, bimodal and bilateral cochlear implant users' responses were less accurate than those of their normal hearing peers. This means children using bilateral cochlear implants and bimodal devices continue to experience challenges perceiving music that are related to hearing impairment and/or device limitations during development.

Fast Brain Plasticity during Word Learning in Musically-Trained Children

Children learn new words every day and this ability requires auditory perception, phoneme discrimination, attention, associative learning and semantic memory. Based on previous results showing that some of these functions are enhanced by music training, we investigated learning of novel words through picture-word associations in musically-trained and control children (8-12 year-old) to determine whether music training would positively influence word learning. Results showed that musically-trained children outperformed controls in a learning paradigm that included picture-sound matching and semantic associations. Moreover, the differences between unexpected and expected learned words, as reflected by the N200 and N400 effects, were larger in children with music training compared to controls after only 3 min of learning the meaning of novel words. In line with previous results in adults, these findings clearly demonstrate a correlation between music training and better word learning. It is argued that these benefits reflect both bottom-up and top-down influences. The present learning paradigm might provide a useful dynamic diagnostic tool to determine which perceptive and cognitive functions are impaired in children with learning difficulties.

Professional Music Training and Novel Word Learning: From Faster Semantic Encoding to Longer-lasting Word Representations

On the basis of previous results showing that music training positively influences different aspects of speech perception and cognition, the aim of this series of experiments was to test the hypothesis that adult professional musicians would learn the meaning of novel words through picture–word associations more efficiently than controls without music training (i.e., fewer errors and faster RTs). We also expected musicians to show faster changes in brain electrical activity than controls, in particular regarding the N400 component that develops with word learning. In line with these hypotheses, musicians outperformed controls in the most difficult semantic task. Moreover, although a frontally distributed N400 component developed in both groups of participants after only a few minutes of novel word learning, in musicians this frontal distribution rapidly shifted to parietal scalp sites, as typically found for the N400 elicited by known words. Finally, musicians showed evidence for better long-term memory for novel words 5 months after the main experimental session. Results are discussed in terms of cascading effects from enhanced perception to memory as well as in terms of multifaceted improvements of cognitive processing due to music training. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing that music training influences semantic aspects of language processing in adults. These results open new perspectives for education in showing that early music training can facilitate later foreign language learning. Moreover, the design used in the present experiment can help to specify the stages of word learning that are impaired in children and adults with word learning difficulties.

Short-term Music Training Enhances Complex, Distributed Neural Communication during Music and Linguistic Tasks

Musical training is frequently associated with benefits to linguistic abilities, and recent focus has been placed on possible benefits of bilingualism to lifelong executive functions; however, the neural mechanisms for such effects are unclear. The aim of this study was to gain better understanding of the whole-brain functional effects of music and second-language training that could support such previously observed cognitive transfer effects. We conducted a 28-day longitudinal study of monolingual English-speaking 4- to 6-year-old children randomly selected to receive daily music or French language training, excluding weekends. Children completed passive EEG music note and French vowel auditory oddball detection tasks before and after training. Brain signal complexity was measured on source waveforms at multiple temporal scales as an index of neural information processing and network communication load. Comparing pretraining with posttraining, musical training was associated with increased EEG complexity at coarse temporal scales during the music and French vowel tasks in widely distributed cortical regions. Conversely, very minimal decreases in complexity at fine scales and trends toward coarse-scale increases were displayed after French training during the tasks. Spectral analysis failed to distinguish between training types and found overall theta (3.5-7.5 Hz) power increases after all training forms, with spatially fewer decreases in power at higher frequencies (>10 Hz). These findings demonstrate that musical training increased diversity of brain network states to support domain-specific music skill acquisition and music-to-language transfer effects.

Neural Mechanisms Underlying Musical Pitch Perception and Clinical Applications Including Developmental Dyslexia

Music production and perception invoke a complex set of cognitive functions that rely on the integration of sensorimotor, cognitive, and emotional pathways. Pitch is a fundamental perceptual attribute of sound and a building block for both music and speech. Although the cerebral processing of pitch is not completely understood, recent advances in imaging and electrophysiology have provided insight into the functional and anatomical pathways of pitch processing. This review examines the current understanding of pitch processing and behavioral and neural variations that give rise to difficulties in pitch processing, and potential applications of music education for language processing disorders such as dyslexia.

Bilingual effects on deployment of the attention system in linguistically and culturally homogeneous children and adults

We investigated the impact of early childhood and adulthood bilingualism on the attention system in a group of linguistically and culturally homogeneous children (5- and 6-year olds) and young adults. We administered the child Attention Network Test (ANT) to 63 English monolingual and Korean-English bilingual children and administered the adult ANT to 39 language- and culture-matched college students. Advantageous bilingual effects on attention were observed for both children and adults in global processing levels of inverse efficiency, response time, and accuracy at a magnitude more pronounced for children than for adults. Differential bilingualism effects were evident at the local network level of executive control and orienting in favor of the adult bilinguals only. Notably, however, bilingual children achieved an adult level of accuracy in the incongruent flanker condition, implying enhanced attentional skills to cope with interferences. Our findings suggest that although both child and adult bilinguals share cognitive advantages in attentional functioning, age-related cognitive and linguistic maturation differentially shapes the outcomes of attentional processing at a local network level.

Cognitive flexibility modulates maturation and music-training-related changes in neural sound discrimination

Previous research has demonstrated that musicians show superior neural sound discrimination when compared to non-musicians, and that these changes emerge with accumulation of training. Our aim was to investigate whether individual differences in executive functions predict training-related changes in neural sound discrimination. We measured event-related potentials induced by sound changes coupled with tests for executive functions in musically trained and non-trained children aged 9-11 years and 13-15 years. High performance in a set-shifting task, indexing cognitive flexibility, was linked to enhanced maturation of neural sound discrimination in both musically trained and non-trained children. Specifically, well-performing musically trained children already showed large mismatch negativity (MMN) responses at a young age as well as at an older age, indicating accurate sound discrimination. In contrast, the musically trained low-performing children still showed an increase in MMN amplitude with age, suggesting that they were behind their high-performing peers in the development of sound discrimination. In the non-trained group, in turn, only the high-performing children showed evidence of an age-related increase in MMN amplitude, and the low-performing children showed a small MMN with no age-related change. These latter results suggest an advantage in MMN development also for high-performing non-trained individuals. For the P3a amplitude, there was an age-related increase only in the children who performed well in the set-shifting task, irrespective of music training, indicating enhanced attention-related processes in these children. Thus, the current study provides the first evidence that, in children, cognitive flexibility may influence age-related and training-related plasticity of neural sound discrimination.

Music Makes the World Go Round: The Impact of Musical Training on Non-musical Cognitive Functions-A Review

Musical training is becoming increasingly popular as a topic for scientific research. Here we review the available studies investigating whether and to which degree musical experience generalizes to cognitive functions unrelated to music abilities in healthy humans. In general, it seems that musical training is associated with enhancing effects, even if sometimes only restricted to the auditory domain, on various cognitive functions spanning from executive control to creativity. We conclude that musical engagement may be a useful cognitive training to promote cognitive enhancement, but more research using longitudinal studies and taking into account individual differences is necessary to determine actual benefits.