Children aged 7 to 9 who practice a musical instrument for at least 30 minutes a week outperform their peers on vocabulary, math, and working memory tests, according to a study by Northeastern University researchers. Led by Psyche Loui, a Northeastern music professor and director of the MIND lab, the study titled “Musical training is associated with cognitive outcomes and white matter microstructure in middle childhood” examined data from 76 children to understand how early music practice shapes developing brains.
Cognitive Outcomes and Test Scores in Young Musicians
The research team evaluated 38 musically active children alongside 38 non-musicians, most of whom played piano or string instruments. Participants completed tests measuring general intelligence, language skills, spatial reasoning, visual and auditory learning, working memory, reading, spelling, and math. The musical group achieved much higher scores across these diverse measures.
“We’re seeing these benefits even at such an early stage,” said Kelsie Lopez, a Northeastern psychology postdoc and co-first author of the study. “It’s not like you need to have 20 years of experience.” Loui described the performance gap as quite striking.
Did you know? Past scientific investigations into the “Mozart effect” sparked decades of research into whether listening to or playing music makes children smarter, prompting Loui’s team to examine cognitive skills and brain structure simultaneously.
Brain Structure and White Matter Microstructure Analysis
To investigate the neurological foundations behind these higher test scores, researchers analyzed existing brain scans from 50 of the children using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). This scanning method tracks water movement through brain tissue to map white matter organization. White matter consists of bundles of long nerve fibers insulated by myelin, which helps signals travel faster between brain regions.
“It’s a way to look at the flow of water through the brain,” Lopez explained. The team concentrated on the arcuate fasciculus, a white-matter pathway connecting auditory processing areas with regions responsible for speech and movement production. Scans revealed that water diffusion in the right arcuate fasciculus followed a more linear, tube-like pattern in the musical group, contrasting with the flatter, pancake-like pattern seen in non-musicians. Lopez noted this finding is consistent with a stronger connection between sound-processing and movement-coordinating brain regions, though further research is needed to confirm if this structural difference directly drives higher test scores.
Executive Functions and Social Motivation in Music Education
Beyond structural brain changes, playing an instrument requires intense mental coordination. Anita Collins, founder of the musical education and advocacy organization Bigger Better Brains, noted that learning music repeatedly exercises attention, working memory, planning, self-management, listening, and adapting. These abilities form executive functions that children utilize throughout their school days.
“I think music training really helps executive function because of the demands that it places on your brain,” Loui said. Music fosters social motivation. Jessica Zweig, executive director of Play On Philly, pointed out that ensemble playing teaches children how to be part of a positive community where participants must come prepared and rely on their peers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the study prove that music lessons cause higher test scores?
No, the study establishes an association rather than direct causation. Proving causation would require randomly assigning children to music training and comparing results.
How much music practice did the children in the study complete?
The young musicians in the study practiced an instrument for at least 30 minutes a week.
What instruments did the children play?
Most of the children in the musical group played either the piano or a string instrument.
What specific brain pathway did researchers focus on?
Researchers focused on the arcuate fasciculus, a bundle of white-matter fibers connecting listening regions with those involved in speech and movement production.
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