Cortical thickness maturation and duration of music training: health-promoting activities shape brain development

J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2014 Nov;53(11):1153-61, 1161.e1-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2014.06.015. Epub 2014 Sep 3.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the extent to which playing a musical instrument is associated with cortical thickness development among healthy youths.

Method: Participants were part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Study of Normal Brain Development. This study followed a longitudinal design such that participants underwent MRI scanning and behavioral testing on up to 3 separate visits, occurring at 2-year intervals. MRI, IQ, and music training data were available for 232 youths (334 scans), ranging from 6 to 18 years of age. Cortical thickness was regressed against the number of years that each youth had played a musical instrument. Next, thickness was regressed against an "Age × Years of Playing" interaction term. Age, gender, total brain volume, and scanner were controlled for in analyses. Participant ID was entered as a random effect to account for within-person dependence. False discovery rate correction was applied (p ≤ .05).

Results: There was no association between thickness and years playing a musical instrument. The "Age × Years of Playing" interaction was associated with thickness in motor, premotor, and supplementary motor cortices, as well as prefrontal and parietal cortices. Follow-up analysis revealed that music training was associated with an increased rate of thickness maturation. Results were largely unchanged when IQ and handedness were included as covariates.

Conclusion: Playing a musical instrument was associated with more rapid cortical thickness maturation within areas implicated in motor planning and coordination, visuospatial ability, and emotion and impulse regulation. However, given the quasi-experimental nature of this study, we cannot rule out the influence of confounding variables.

Keywords: MRI; cortical thickness; music.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Development*
  • Brain / anatomy & histology
  • Brain / growth & development*
  • Cerebral Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Cerebral Cortex / growth & development
  • Child
  • Health Promotion*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Mental Disorders / physiopathology
  • Mental Disorders / rehabilitation
  • Music / psychology*