Can Music Help Brain Development in Premature Babies?

premature infant and music therapy — (Image: emilykreed/flickr)

A really cool study is underway at the University of Missouri that is examining the power of music on brain development in premature babies. There is already much research validating the power of music in reducing stress in infants and helping them to recover from medical procedures, but there is additional studies needed to confirm what many are hypothesizing: music can help brain development.

The research team from UM plans to follow 130 premature infants, some of whom will receive music therapy two to three times per week in the MU Health Care NICU.

To test whether music therapy affects long-term development, the researchers will visit the babies for two years after they leave the hospital to test their motor skills, communication and emotional development.