Just 30 minutes of musical
training can increase the blood flow in the left hemisphere of our brain which
is believed to be responsible for language processing, according to a new
study. The research by the University of Liverpool in UK suggests that the
areas responsible for music and language share common brain pathways.
Researchers from the University's Institute of Psychology, Health and Society
carried out two separate studies which looked at brain activity patterns in
musicians and non-musicians. The first study looking for patterns of brain
activity of 14 musicians and 9 non-musicians whilst they participated in music
and word generation tasks. The results showed that patterns in the musician's
brains were similar in both tasks but this was not the case for the
non-musicians. In the second study, brain activity patterns were measured in a
different group of non-musical participants who took part in a word generation
task and a music perception task. The measurements were also taken again
following half an hour's musical training. The measurements of brain activity
taken before the musical training showed no significant pattern of correlation.
However, following the training significant similarities were found. "The
areas of our brain that process music and language are thought to be shared and
previous research has suggested that musical training can lead to the increased
use of the left hemisphere of the brain," said Amy Spray, who conducted
the research as part of a School of Psychology Summer Internship Scheme.
"This study looked into the modulatory effects that musical training could
have on the use of the different sides of the brain when performing music and
language tasks. "It was fascinating to see that the similarities in blood
flow signatures could be brought about after just half an hour of simple
musical training," she said. "This suggests that the correlated brain
patterns were the result of using areas thought to be involved in language
processing," said Liverpool Psychologist, Dr Georg Mayer. "Therefore
we can assume that musical training results in a rapid change in the cognitive
mechanisms utilised for music perception and these shared mechanisms are
usually employed for language," Mayer said.
Congress leader Manishankar Aiyar attracted opposition BJP's ire today in Rajya Sabha when he said he was not interested in listening to speech of a BJP member on vote on account, prompting the Chair to adjourn the House amid uproar. During the Zero Hour, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien allowed Aiyar, who wanted to ask a question, to do so, which was opposed by BJP members. Kurien asked Aiyar whether he yielded to allow others to speak, to which he said he had no objection and he can ask his question later. As the House got ready to initiate discussion on Vote on Account, Kurien said, "Let us reduce the discussion to two hours from four hours," which was opposed by BJP members including Piyush Goyal who was given a chance to speak on Vote on Account. When it was agreed that discussion will take place as per schedule, Aiyar remarked he was not interested in listening to the speech by BJP member. "You had given me the chance to ask a question
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