Music and the Mind THE MIND FALL THE MIND Could the Popular Guitar Hero Videogame Actually have Academic Benefits? The relationship between music and the mind is even more complicated, however. While music can have a positive impact on the brain, the brain can subsequently affect inter- pretation of music as well. Musical hallucinations can result from brain damage; for instance, one individual experienced Music's Affect on the Brain hearing folk songs as a result of a brain abscess (BBC 2000). When such hallucinations occur, possibly caused by commu- The recognition of music's relationship to the brain, espe- nication difficulties within the brain, the musical illusions cially on an emotional level, dates back to Ancient Greece. are often tunes that are familiar to the person. People with Plato postulated that music gives soul to the universe, wings hearing loss have also experienced auditory hallucinations, to the mind, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, but these can be attributed to sensory deprivation (BBC gaiety and life to everything (PBS). Due to its emotional 2000). effects, music is often utilized for therapeutic purposes. For instance, during W.W.II it was shown that playing music for Music and Culture veterans could affect a person's mood, physical and emotion- al well-being, movement, fears, and muscle tension (PBS). Current research both confirms music's pivotal role in Accordingly, Michigan State University created the first human expression and can lead to further illuminations for degree program in music therapy in 1944 (PBS). However, understanding brain development. Research conducted by the study of the relationship between the brain and music is Sandra Tehub, a psychologist at the University of Toronto, often marginalized, as it is often not viewed as an important confirms that babies can detect changes in pitch, tempo, and part of understanding cognition and the brain. This view- melody (Newsweek). Furthermore, infants seem to respond point changed somewhat when the New York Academy of well to consonant music but dislike dissonant tunes, which Sciences organized conference in 2000 on the biology of are considered harsh and unpleasant. This research aims to music, adding intellectual approval to the discipline (Balter determine whether preference and music interpretation is 2007). Then, in 2005, researchers added further legitimacy to hardwired in the brain. Certainly, the structure of the brain the subject by showing how music affects how the brain and how the brain processes music seem to suggest that the processes speech (PBS). brain is specialized for music. Therefore, by understanding Also, developing musical skills has been associated with how the brain responds to music, other functions can also be enhanced spatial intelligence. The appreciation of music investigated (Newsweek). requires higher brain functions, and learning music can Indeed, musicians have more brain cells in certain areas, translate into increased skills in math (PBS). In brains of including ones responsible for following visual and auditory people with musical training, the area that connects planning cues. However, researchers are still trying to determine and foresight, the corpus callosum, is larger. Since enhanced whether or not the enlarged regions first caused these indi- activity in this area of the brain is crucial for quick coordina- viduals' propensity for music or whether the study of music tion, it makes sense that the corpus callosum is enlarged for caused a secondary enhancement of their cognitive abilities musicians who must perform advanced musical composi- (BBC 2001). Deciphering whether the differences in brain tions (Newsweek). Interestingly, performing music may not composition are the cause or the effect underscores both the Music has been a form of human expression and a global fixture for centuries. Due to the pervasiveness of music throughout human history, it seems that the biological ori- gins of music are worthy of study. Recently, the particular connection between music and the mind has become a sub- ject of scholarship, but it is not without its critics. Cognitive scientist Steven Pinker, for instance, has even referred to music as auditory cheesecake, something nonessential and simply for enjoyment (Scientific American). While some may find studying music to be a trivial method for helping to illuminate how the mind operates, researchers have found that understanding the relationship between the mind and music can allow for parallel developments in comprehending other phenomena, such as language. be the only way to reap similar benefits, as mentally rehears- ing music has the same effect on the cortical map (Newsweek). Thus, music is not simply an evolutionary dead end without any higher purpose besides entertainment value. Music is part of a larger scheme of brain processes and hon- ing musical skills has not only therapeutic benefits, but aca- demic advantages as well. The Brain and Music by Meagan Cooney