Perspective: music and the brain

Professor Michael Zev Gordon discusses how studying the workings of the brain can give insight into the creative and emotional impact of music.

In Step 3.4 we considered what we know about language and the brain. On-going studies indicate that speech and singing, whilst related, may require the involvement of over-lapping but not identical, regions of the brain. This is being exploited for rehabilitation of those with damage to the areas of the brain that have been strongly linked to speech such as Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas. This article and the associated, Youtube clip, explains this in more detail.

Can you think of any other examples of the potential relationship between creativity or emotion, and physical brain function? Add your comments below.