Since I was 8 years old, I have always found music to be my creative outlet. It was not until I started taking music classes in high school when I realized that music had so much more to offer in a group setting. Making music with my friends was like nothing else, and there was something fascinating about the way we would communicate without saying a word when playing. It was like we were speaking a whole different language. 

Picture of my friend and I playing a song together in his basement. 

Music and language are deeply interconnected methods of human expression. Because of their neural complexity, they share overlapping neural mechanisms and structures within the brain. They both involve our mouth and ears for production and interpretation, and rely on the temporal lobe, Broca’s area and Wernikes in the brain for processing. The Broca’s area is critical for language development grammatically, and the Wernicke’s area for semantic purposes in language. Moreover, speech and music have become so critical in human development proven by these structures and their necessity that they are now powerful cultural and emotional forces. So by training either skill, the other indirectly becomes more proficient. 

A study conducted by Särkämö et al. (2020) explored the impact of vocal music listening on language recovery and verbal memory in stroke patients, particularly those with aphasia (a language impairment). They found that these patients who listened to vocal music showed significant improvements in verbal memory, language skill like word fluency and naming ability, and attention during dialogue. According to Figure 1 below, you can see that as T (time interval) increased, the language skill score and verbal memory score increased. Furthermore, neuroimaging revealed that vocal music activated the left temporal lobe, auditory-motor interface, and the working memory in the frontal lobe. These results make sense because melody, rhythm, and especially lyrics engage the semantic (meaning) and emotional elements of communication which easily stimulate neural plasticity and repair in damaged language networks. 

Another study by Brandt et al. (2019) delved deeper into the neural mechanisms involved in music and language processing through behavioral studies and clinical observations. They found that they share other cognitive processes, not just structures, like memory, attention, and pattern recognition. Furthermore, they found developmental interactions in early musical training in children can enhance language development. Listening to music can help build phonetic anticipation, and retention, critical skills for processing both music and language. One way modern medicine capitalizes on these two neurological systems is through melodic intonation therapy, where patients sing phrases instead of speaking them. This helps blend two streams of auditory processing: pitch and lyrics into one stream.  

In conclusion, the intricate relationship between music and language extends far beyond their cultural and emotional significance. By harnessing their similarities and discerning their differences, we can open up new ways to treat impairments in communication and expression. 

Understanding these two unique and overlooked parts of our day to day lives opens up new perspectives on the ways in which we process art, from lamentation, to fear, to excitement, making language and music not only handy tools in communicating with others but a key part in understanding the richness of the human experience. 

Figure 1

Bibliography

Sihvonen, A. J., Leo, V., Ripollés, P., Lehtovaara, T., Ylönen, A., Rajanaro, P., Laitinen, S., Forsblom, A., Saunavaara, J., Autti, T., Laine, M., Rodríguez-Fornells, A., Tervaniemi, M., Soinila, S., & Särkämö, T. (2020). Vocal music enhances memory and language recovery after stroke: pooled results from two RCTs. Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, 7(11). https://doi.org/10.1002/acn3.51217

‌Torppa, R., & Huotilainen, M. (2019). Why and how music can be used to rehabilitate and develop speech and language skills in hearing-impaired children. Hearing Research, 380, 108–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heares.2019.06.003