This study found that people who learned for more than 10 years didn’t have any differences compared with the control group, but they did find the late-life cognitive benefits of early musical training…

Researchers have tried to determine if certain genres of music are “better” than others for developing these vital life skills. This article highlights recent research into a genre you might not expect to have such positive impacts.

Imagine a music therapist and their patient wearing EEG caps. Imagine them working together and coming to a moment when the therapy was “working”. Imagine seeing the EEG signal suddenly change for the patient, and then seeing the same change in the therapist just afterwards.

We know that music listening and playing can change our mood. Sometimes it cheers us up, sometimes it makes it safe to feel sombre emotions, but did you ever wonder why? Now we know.

This is a brilliant article worth a full read, but here are some highlights for you from one of BBBs favourite researchers Professor Sarah Wilson from the University of Melbourne.

Music therapy and music learning are having a profound impact on the life and rehabilitation of people suffering from Parkinson’s disease. It is important to understand the difference between music therapy and music learning because sometimes they either look very similar, or one leads seamlessly into the other.

It has been widely publicised that the National Institute of Health (NIH) in the U.S. has just awarded the Sound Health Initiative $20 million over the next 5 years to look into the health and learning benefits of music and music learning.

Imagine having a singing group at your work. Imagine starting the day with a song with your colleagues. What would your work culture feel like and how would you feel about going to work?

This study shows for the first time a causal role of dopamine in musical pleasure and motivation: enjoying a piece of music, deriving pleasure from it, wanting to listen to it again, being willing to spend money for it, strongly depend on the dopamine released in our synapses.

Why do we prefer different types of music? Why isn’t there just one type of music that everyone likes? The answer may be that we only get connected with our true selves, the part of our brain that is full of our thoughts, through music that we choose for ourselves.

This article gives us an excellent summary of the ways that music listening can have physiological benefits, and it is a great reminder of the ways we can use music to improve our wellbeing.

Have you been listening to music as you get your daily exercise in during COVID-19? Have you found yourself changing your music choices during this troubling time, maybe to lighten your mood or help you focus more on your exercise and less on these uncertain times?