Objective: Music and speech are complex signals containing regularities in how they unfold
in time. Similarities between music and speech/language in terms of their auditory features …

The frequency-following response, or FFR, is a neurophysiological response to sound that
precisely reflects the ongoing dynamics of sound. It can be used to study the integrity and …

Recent studies establish that cortical oscillations track naturalistic speech in a remarkably
faithful way. Here, we test whether such neural activity, particularly low-frequency (< 8 Hz; …

Tonal languages differ from other languages in their use of pitch (tones) to distinguish
words. Lifelong experience speaking and hearing tonal languages has been argued to …

Musicians are often reported to have enhanced neurophysiological functions, especially in
the auditory system. Musical training is thought to improve nervous system function by …

It is often claimed that music training improves auditory and linguistic skills. Results of
individual studies are mixed, however, and most evidence is correlational, precluding …

The beneficial effects of musical training are not limited to enhancement of musical skills, but
extend to language skills. Here, we review evidence that musical training can enhance …

Fundamental changes in brain structure and function during adolescence are well-
characterized, but the extent to which experience modulates adolescent neurodevelopment …

Music training may strengthen auditory skills that help children not only in musical
performance but in everyday communication. Comparisons of musicians and non-musicians …

Experience-dependent characteristics of auditory function, especially with regard to speech-
evoked auditory neurophysiology, have garnered increasing attention in recent years. This …