“How Playing an Instrument Benefits your Brain” by Anita Collins is one of the more recent video posts on Ted-Ed, and it offers answers to simple questions such as how much of the brain is active when musicians perform, how learning a musical instrument affects the individual’s ability to perform other tasks and cognitive functions, and the impact of musical training on memory. By relying on research primarily from the field of cognitive psychology, Anita Collins suggests that there is strong and growing body of evidence to support the notion that musicians have a greater capacity for language, learning, and remembering.
We recently reported on several studies, including one done by researchers at Harvard University, who found that there is a direct correlation between instrumental music study and improved executive functions—cognitive capacities that regulate thought. Research continues to show that musical training also benefits verbal reasoning skills, cognitive flexibility, and working memory.