French television highlights neuroscientists’ study of A violin can change the world

Le Mag de la Santé, a health news program airing on France 5 television, recently spotlighted NeuroSpin’s study on the links between playing the violin and childhood brain development.

The report followed Idriss, one of the children in our A violin can change the world program, as he underwent brain scans during the study. NeuroSpin researchers are using cutting-edge technologies to observe the effects of playing music on concentration, cognitive capacities and other aspects of the brain.

Early results suggest that children who play the violin develop better abilities to block out useless information—a skill known to be beneficial for learning in a range of areas.

The broadcast offered a fascinating look at the research now underway at NeuroSpin, with funding from the Vareille Foundation. This large pool of data, collected from young children in our program over three consecutive years, will promote advances in science and in knowledge of the developing brain.