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Linguistics in English Language Teaching (IGK 509)

Taught by Dr. Johannes Ananto Prayogo

Article summary of Neurolinguistics

by Suhandoko (140221808485)

Title : Impact of Music on Brain Function during Mental Task using

Electroencephalography

Author : B. Geethanjali, K. Adalarasu, R. Rajsekaran

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Music has a great effect on human body and mind; it can have a positive

effect on hormone system. Objective of this study is to analyze the effect of music

(Carnatic, hard rock and jazz) on brain activity during mental work load using

electroencephalography (EEG).

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Introduction:

The basic and one of oldest socio-cognitive domains of Human species ismusic. Listening to music regularly helps to keep the neurons and synapses more

active. Depending on the way sound waves are listened or pronounced, they have

an impact in the way neurological (brain and nerve) system work in the human

body. Many researchers have shown that there is the spike of intelligence quotient

after having been listened to Mozart music.

Each type of music has its own frequency, it can either resonate or it can

be in conflict with the bodys rhythms (heart rate). Each frequency bands of EEG

rhythm relates to specific functions of brain. Beta activity relates to increased

alertness and cognitive processes. While listening to pleasant music there is

decrease in alpha power at the left frontal lobe (logic) and unpleasant music

produces decrease in alpha power at the right frontal lobe (creativity).

When subjects listen to the pleasant music the changes were reflected in the

EEG and there was an increase in frontal midline (Fm) theta power. Fm theta was

observed during a large variety of tasks, such as mental calculation, working

memory, learning, and meditation. Listening to music increases the power at theta

and alpha frequencies of the human EEG. Selecting the right type of music was

important because the EEG spectral power depend on the intensity and style of

music.

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Materials and Method

A. Subjects Summary 8 unpaid young adults (2 men and women). The average age was 20 Years

old. The average body weight was 68 kg. They read and signed the letter of

consent before participating the research.

Experiments were performed at the Biomedical Engineering Division, SSN

college of Engineering, Chennai

The experiment was conducted in the morning with a normal diet in a sound

proof room sitting on a comfortable chair and performed as per the

guidelines of the Institutional Ethics Committee of SSN College for human

volunteer research

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B. Mental Task using PSYTASK Software

PSYTASK is a program for preparation and carrying out both

psychophysics and psychophysiology investigations. The subject should respond to

presentation of stimuli (both visual and acoustic) by pressing a buttons or ignore

them in dependence on the subject task. The task is presented either visually(presented in the monitor of computer) or acoustically (spoken language).

C. Experiment Protocol

- 3 types of music were selected (Jazz, Carnatic, and Hard Rock)

- Participants were given Psytask while listening to music.

- To check whether the participants are mentally competent, a Mini Mental

Test (MMT) was conducted. Scores of 25 - 30 out of 30 are considered

normal; NICE classify 21 - 24 as mild, 10 - 20 as moderate and < 10 as

severe impairment. Subjects who scored 23 out of 26 were selected for

recording.

- EEG was recorded for three conditions, With Music and No Mental task(Condition 1), With Music and With Mental task (Condition 2), Rest (No

Music and No Mental task, Condition 3)

D. Electrode Placement

To record the frequency of the brain wave, the electrode was placed on the

participants head. Through this, the researcher obtained the data on the changes of

the brain during the experiments.

E. Data Processing

During the recording, the researcher calculated each spectrum of the brain

waves in the three different music using three different rhythm: brain rhythms alpha

(8 - 13 Hz) beta (13 - 32 Hz) and theta (4 - 8 Hz).

F. Statistical Test

A one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was performed on three

conditions for with and without mental task while listening to music three different

type of music.

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Results

A. Jazz Music

- While listening Jazz music there is a significant difference in the alphapower in the three different experimental conditions (Music with mental

task, music with no mental task, without music without mental task)

- There is a significant difference in the theta power in the three different

experimental conditions while listening jazz. Similarly there is

significantly increase in theta power during jazz music with work task as

compared to listening music without mental task.

- Beta power was significant difference in three experimental condition

while listening to jazz.

B. Carnatic Music

- During carnatic music there is a significant difference in the beta power in

the three different experimental conditions.

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- There is a significant difference in the beta power in the three different

experimental conditions. The frontal lobe is associated with decision-

making, problem solving, and planning and the Pattern of high beta

activity in normal person indicates the subjects were engaged in

processing information during music with mental task moreover it alsoclearly indicates rapid or excessive thinking while performing mental

calculations.

- There is a significant difference in the beta power in the three different

experimental conditions at Pz, F (2, 21) = 0.171, (p < 0.05). The Post hoc

analysis of Tukey multiple comparisons test revealed that beta power was

not shown any significantly different between three experimental

conditions.

C. Hard Rock Music

- There is no significant difference while listening to hard rock for all the

three conditions at all the three locations (Alpha, theta, Beta).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Discussion

1. It is evident from the results of our study shows that Jazz and Carnatic music

significantly improves brain function as compared to hard rock during mental

task.

2. When jazz music was played the spectral power of alpha band was

significantly high which indicates the subjects were more relaxed while doing

the mental task.

3. When Carnatic music was played there was a significantly high beta activity

in all the three locations which indicates the subjects were actively thinking.

4. There is no significant difference of the spectrum wave when the participants

were played the Hard Rock music.

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Remarks

In my personal judgment, this article is beneficial for me, and also other

teachers, to give the empirical framework about the influence of using music

especially classical, jazz, Carnatic music in boosting brain capability for the better

learning. The result of this research can be used in pedagogy especially language

teaching by applying the music in the teaching and learning process i.e.

suggestopedia where the learning activity is supported with the relaxing time. The

students are put in very comfortable and relaxing environment and playedcomfortable music. These music genres (jazz, classical, Carnatic) are believed to

be able to improve the brain capability in memory by placing the brain into certain

spectrum wave. Say, Alpha wave is considered as the place where the brain has

the super memory. This spectrum wave is very good especially in vocabulary

teaching to make the students more efficient in memorizing words.

Although the article does not mention about its benefits in terms of

language teaching, at least, it gives glance description that brain is very powerful

organ of human body that teacher should take into account in preparing their

language teaching. Teaching means changing the way the students think and this

needs the understanding how the brain works.