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How does learning to play  a musical instrument affect brain development?

Hypothesis: it is predicted that the process of learning to play a musical instrument does in fact have a positive affect on the development of one's brain, especially one's of the younger age, compared to those who don't play any musical instrument.

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Aim: to determine if musical training trains executive functioning skills, which then helps with academic skills.
Hypothesis: It is predicted that  musical training does train executive functioning skills which then helps with academic skills, evident from greater brain functioning during multiple tests, visible via MRI scans of the participants brains.

Components/ Participants: Both musically trained and untrained children were part of a study/experiment where they were required to perform complex executive functioning tasks given by research, which they also underwent MRI scan to track the brain's functions.

Methods/test conducted:
Both groups underwent the same task.
When the children hear noise of a horse, they are to press the left button if they see a triangle. When they see a circle they are to press the right button. When the participants hear a frog however, they  are to press the opposite button to the one before- right if triangle, left if circle.
The activity of the brain was constantly tracked and examined through their MRI scan during the experiement.

Results: The results showed that the musically trained children have better executive functioning skills compared to children who do not play a musical instrument. It was further shown that children who are musically trained have more activation in their prefrontal areas compared to their peers.
It is reasonable to conclude that musical training does affect the brain's ability to perform well in executive functioning tasks

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Aim: to investigate the association between instrumental music training in childhood and outcomes closely related to music training as well as those more distantly related.
Hypothesis: It is predicted that musically trained students will not only perform better in musical based tests but also tasks distantly related, compared to the students who are not musically trained.
Components/Participants: 59 children were recruited from public schools and community music schools to take part in a study designed Among which 41 completed minimum of 3 years of musical training (Instrumental group). 18 children had received no instrumental music instructions (control group).
Children in both instrumental and control group are exposed to general music classes in school but no instrumental training.

Methods/tests conducted:
The children were tested on a set of different activities.
- Gordon's intermediate Measures of Music Audiation (IMMA): Children received IMMA, consisting of 40 pairs of tone sequences and 40 pairs of rhythms. Children make a same/different judgement by circling a pair of same or different faces on the answer sheet.

Melodic and Rhythmic Discrimination task: Children indicated whether 2 melodic or rhythmic phrases of 5 tones each were the same or different. The sound of an actual musical instrument (marimba) was used so that both attack and release could be discerned. Stimuli were identical in over duration, which served to clarify the metric context so children focus on melodic or rhythmic differences.

Motor learning task: beginning with the non-dominant hand, children performed 3, 30-seconds trials of a a 4-finger sequence task on the number keys of an alpha-numeric computer keyboard. And were asked to repeat the correct sequence of key pressed as many times as possible in 30 seconds. this task was performed three times with each hand, with 30-seconds rest period between trials.

Block design: Children received block design sub test of the WISC-III (age-scaled). this is a spatial recognition task since physical model of the design to be copied remains present during the task, therefore does not require formation of a mental image. Performance on this task improved after music training.

Object assembly:  Children received block design sub test of the WISC-III (age-scaled). However this time required both formation of a mental image and the manipulation of that image within a limited time period. performance on this task as shown to be improved by music training.

Raven's progressive Matrices (RPM): Nonverbal reasoning task with visual-spatial elements.3 levels of RPM were administered in following order: Colored progressive Matrices, Standard Progressive Matrices and Advanced Progressive Matrices-Set I. Performance on RPM was not improved after music training.

Vocabulary: Children given the Vocabulary sub test of the WISC-III (age-scaled), consisting of up to 30 words to be defined orally.

Auditory Analysis Test (AAT): Children received AAT, a measure of phonemic awareness. Children hear a list of 40 spoken words and are asked to repeat the word and then say it again without one of its sounds

Results: The instrumental group outperformed the control group in areas closely related to music: fine motor skills and discrimination between melodies (MMA and MDT), verbal ability (Vocabulary) and non-verbal reasoning (RS and Ad PM). However, the control group out performed on phonemic awareness (AAT) and spatial skills (measured by WISC-III Block Design and Object Assembly sub tests.
It is reasonable to conclude that the result did not fully support the hypothesis. However, children who received instrument music training for 3 years or more did in fact outperform the control group in majority of the tasks, suggesting that the learning to play an instrument does have it sets of benefits, especially on task related to music.

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The evidence provided from the from study 1 and study 2 support the hypothesis that "it is predicted that the process of learning o play a musical instrument does in fact have positive affect on the development of one's brain, especially one's of the younger age, compared to those who don't play any musical instrument." This is evident as in both of the studies conducted the results show that the children who have previously received musical training perform.

Limitations:
Study 1:
- no exact sample size given
- lack of detail in experiment
-duration of the study is not provided
Study 2:
- sample size: not  equivalent
-experiment not repeated.

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-Pressure
Some parents go to high extends to make their kids the best possible, to some this is a good gesture. However, the is evident that there are parents who are forcing their children who have no interest in music to take musical training causing the children to have a lot of pressure , which could possibly lead to mental disorders.

-Isolation
only focusing on musical training and academics causes children in particular to go into isolation as a lot of time is consumed by the both. Some argue that the children will not have great social skills later in life due to the isolation.

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Learning to play a musical instrument is a common yet complex process. It is a complex process as various parts of the brain is demanded to work together at the same time. Whilst playing a musical instruments the motor system inn the brain controls gross and fine movements needed to produce sound. the sound sound is processed by auditory circuitry, which in turn can adjust signalling by the motor control centers. Sensory information from the figures, hands and arms is sent to the bring for processing. Visual information (eg: from sheet music) is sent to the brain for processing and interpreting commands for the motor centers- from reading sheet music. additionally emotional responses is also processed towards music. Although a complex process, it is common for many people, especially from the young age to receive musical training as it is said to have a lot of benefits.

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Recommendations :
For both of the studies a larger sample size and repetition of the experiment is highly suggested.

The experiment is relevant to current society as academics is a major important aspect of life and parents and children's themselves too are always on the look out for new methods to benefit their academics and to improve their personal skills and performances.The 2 study conducted supported the hypothesis giving evidence that learning to play a musical instrument does affect brain development in a positive way. Therefore is is highly recommended to the the society as a whole learn a musical instrument to experience and collect the benefits themselves.