The Musical Brain: Novel Study of Jazz Players Shows Common Brain Circuitry Processes Both Music and Language
Wednesday, February 19, 2014 - 17:30
in Psychology & Sociology
The brains of jazz musicians engrossed in spontaneous, improvisational musical conversation showed robust activation of brain areas traditionally associated with spoken language and syntax, which are used to interpret the structure of phrases and sentences. But this musical conversation shut down brain areas linked to semantics -- those that process the meaning of spoken language, according to results of a study by Johns Hopkins researchers.