Title | Short-term music training enhances verbal intelligence and executive function. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2011 |
Authors | Moreno S, Bialystok E, Barac R, E Schellenberg G, Cepeda NJ, Chau T |
Journal | Psychol Sci |
Volume | 22 |
Issue | 11 |
Pagination | 1425-33 |
Date Published | 2011 Nov |
ISSN | 1467-9280 |
Keywords | Child, Child, Preschool, Evoked Potentials, Executive Function, Female, Humans, Intelligence, Language Development, Male, Music, Neuropsychological Tests, Transfer, Psychology, Visual Perception, Wechsler Scales |
Abstract | Researchers have designed training methods that can be used to improve mental health and to test the efficacy of education programs. However, few studies have demonstrated broad transfer from such training to performance on untrained cognitive activities. Here we report the effects of two interactive computerized training programs developed for preschool children: one for music and one for visual art. After only 20 days of training, only children in the music group exhibited enhanced performance on a measure of verbal intelligence, with 90% of the sample showing this improvement. These improvements in verbal intelligence were positively correlated with changes in functional brain plasticity during an executive-function task. Our findings demonstrate that transfer of a high-level cognitive skill is possible in early childhood. |
DOI | 10.1177/0956797611416999 |
Alternate Journal | Psychol Sci |
PubMed ID | 21969312 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC3449320 |
Grant List | R01 HD052523 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States R01HD052523 / HD / NICHD NIH HHS / United States |