01/06/2026
Some Positive News to start the week and the new half term -
'Learning an instrument boosts cognition' !
https://www.positive.news/society/good-news-stories-from-week-22-of-2026/
👇article below:
If you’re learning a musical instrument, here’s some news that may encourage you to persevere: doing so could improve your cognitive performance.
Amid concerns that our attention spans are being hijacked by algorithms, music training has emerged as a potential line of defence, with research identifying a link between learning an instrument and improved brain function.
Adding to the evidence is a new study, which tasked 268 musicians and non-musicians aged eight to 34 with completing computer-based assignments designed to challenge their attention spans.
Participants with formal musical training were shown to respond faster with fewer lapses in concentration, compared to non-musicians. The reasons for that are less clear. One theory is that music training promotes effort itself, which is rewarded by the thrill of playing a riff or keeping a beat.
“People with musical training might become more willing to exert effort and approach any demanding tasks with a different motivational state,” noted the study, led by Spain’s Mind, Brain, and Behaviour Research Centre. “In this sense, musical training would improve performance by altering the effort willingness of the musicians, not their cognitive capacities themselves.”
👇Sign up for lessons now or join the fun on one of our holiday courses!
https://www.musicale.co.uk/
