This proposed study aims to provide a definitive answer to whether music training benefits brain development, particularly brain inhibition control circuitry and its related health outcomes using a randomized control trial design. In the study, 114 children between ages 6-8 from Los Angeles will be randomly assigned to a 24-month:(1) community-focused after school music training group focused on a traditional strings curriculum at the Colburn school in Los Angeles (MG) or (2) a control group (CG) after-school program comprising of visual arts, book club, ethnic and cultural studies and theater without specific focus on systematic music training or sports. Imaging data will be collected at before and after the intervention (24 months), behavioral assessments will be conducted before the intervention and yearly afterwards, and mid-intervention evaluations will be performed every six months throughout the study.
The investigators will use an RCT design to investigate effects of a music training intervention on brain inhibition control circuitry. Throughout R61(N=40) and R33 (N=74) phases, 114 children between ages 6-8 from communities with limited resources in Los Angeles will be randomly assigned to a 24-month: (1) community-focused after school music training group focused on a traditional strings curriculum at the Colburn school in Los Angeles (MG) or (2) a control group (CG) after-school program comprising of visual arts, book club, ethnic and cultural studies and theater without specific focus on systematic music training or sports. Imaging data will be collected at before and after the intervention (24 months), behavioral assessments will be conducted before the intervention and yearly afterwards, and mid-intervention evaluations will be performed every six months throughout the study. The investigators anticipate that the R61 phase will take 2 years and R33 will take 3 years to complete. The goal of the R61 phase is to evaluate the feasibility of executing the RCT. Comprehensive behavioral and imaging data will be collected at pre- and post-intervention, and mid-intervention evaluations will be performed every six months throughout the study. The combined R61/R33 phases will include 114 participants and will ultimately provide much needed guidance on the development of larger trials in the field.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
114
The cohort of students entering the program at the Colburn school in Los Angeles will be a part of a traditional strings curriculum. Students will join the program on a full scholarship and will be provided all materials necessary for instruction, including an instrument. Students will attend Colburn twice a week in a group setting and will receive private instruction once a week. The program will last 2, 15-week semesters (fall, spring) for 2-years. There will be 2 groups of 10 students. Students will undergo group instruction for 1 hour, 2 times a week and private instruction for 45 minutes, once a week.
The afterschool program will be led by instructors and will include visual arts, theater, and general cultural studies. Students attend the program 3 days per week in the afternoon for 1 hour long lessons. Students will take part in an end of the year celebration to share their work with family and community members.
Brain and Creativity Institute
Los Angeles, California, United States
brain inhibition control networks
The primary outcome will be %change in blood-oxygen-level-dependent signal in the brain frontal circuits including the DLPFC, ACC and pre-SMA/SMA evaluated during the two inhibition control tasks.
Time frame: 24 months
inhibition control as measured by reaction time
Stop signal reaction time during stop signal task
Time frame: 24 months
inhibition control as measured by delayed gratification
discounting rate from delay gratification task
Time frame: 24 months
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