Evaluation of the Neurocognitive Executive Functioning in the Musicians and Non-Musicians

Playing a musical instrument requires a high motor coordination, sensory integration, and cooperation among different areas of the brain, which affects the cognitive functions. The aims of this study were to evaluate the neurocognitive executive functioning in musicians and non-musician individuals.
This is a descriptive and causal-comparative (ex post facto) study. 120 people were selected through purposeful sampling method and were divided into two groups; musicians (n = 60) and non-musicians (n = 60). All subjects completed the Barkley Deficits in executive functioning scale test (BDEFS) and cognitive flexibility (CFI).
Our results revealed that non-musicians had poorer flexibility and executive functioning compared to musicians. In addition, the musicians who practiced for a longer period and began their training at early ages had higher scores in cognitive flexibility and executive functioning.
These data suggest that music education and training can play an important role in promoting the levels of neurological functions.