New Advances in Applied Music Neuroscience – from Mechanisms to Interventions

In recent decades, research into the effects of music on the brain, cognition, and neurological development – from early childhood through end of life – has surged. The massive body of work has evolved alongside science’s growing understanding of neuroplasticity (the brain’s remarkable ability to continuously reorganize itself by forming new neural connections in response to stimuli, experience and activity.

While huge gains in understanding have been made, vast frontiers remain unexplored in uncovering exactly how listening to, learning and making music change the brain. Already, we are gaining insights into the uses of sound, rhythm and musical structures for therapies to treat diverse conditions including stroke recovery, autism, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, dementia, multiple sclerosis and mood disorders.

This expanding field raises compelling questions for parents, educators, and clinicians about the role of music in early development, and how it may build the neurological foundations for lifelong health, cognitive resilience and emotional well-being. It also points to the potential of music-based targeted interventions that can be applied throughout life in response to specific health challenges.