Whether you learn to play a musical instrument or speak another language, you’re training your brain to be more efficient. Researchers found that musicians and people who are bilingual utilized fewer brain resources when completing a working memory task. Individuals with either a musical or bilingual background activated different brain networks and showed less brain activity than people who only spoke one language and didn’t have formal music training to complete the task.

Original paper published May 17, 2018

Lead author: Claude Alain, Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre/University of Toronto – calain@rotman-baycrest.on.ca