Music training enhances hearing capacity of brain

When we hear speech, the neurons in the brain respond and make meaning out of it. With age, the response gets slower. This is why old people find it difficult to understand fast changing speech. They also have difficulty in understanding talk in noisy environment.

Research suggests that those who have undergone musical training in their childhood have a much faster neuron response to speech. The researchers tested old people who had as less as 4 years of musical training in their childhood. Even though they haven't practiced music in 40 years, their response to speech was better than those who haven't undergone any training.

This advantage is not limited to old age. It means that throughout our life, our ability to hear even in noisy places will be higher if we are musically trained.

This is the first research of its kind. Such facts cannot be confirmed unless many more studies are done. But surely it gives us a reason to learn music, and teach to our kids.

(Link to the research paper http://tinyurl.com/YScNeuro01
- reading only Abstract should be enough)