Music Learning Produces Changes in Brain Activitation Patterns: A Longitudinal DC-EEG Study

Author(s): Gruhn, W., Parlitz, D., Kahrs, J.

Journal/Book: International Journal of Arts Medicine. 1997; 5:

Abstract: The aim of the study was to demonstrate changes in cortical auditory activation patterns accompanying music learning. Students learned to judge a musical period with respect to balance between the antecedent and consequent phrases. The study investigated the responses of three groups of subjects (n = 3, each). Group 1 was given verbal instructions; group 2 was instructed musically by means of playing; and group 3 received no instructions and served as the control. Low frequency DC-shifts of EEG were measured prior to learning and after a 5-week training period. After learning, music processing produced increased activation of the left frontotemporal brain regions in the verbally trained group, and increased activation of the right frontal and of bilateral parietal lobes in the musically trained group. The results demonstrate that musical expertise influences auditory brain activation patterns and that these activation patterns depend on the teaching strategies applied.

Keyword(s): music learning, cortical activation patterns, EEG, auditory processing

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