Scientists at the University of Barcelona have found that daily exposure to music or mother singing during the last weeks of pregnancy has a positive effect on the unborn baby. It has been associated with enhanced neural encoding for speech sounds in infants. The results of the research have been published magazine developmental science
Previously, experts had proven that listening to high-quality structured music by a mother during pregnancy strengthens the neurons of the child, promotes the formation of a close functional connection between the hemispheres of the brain. As a result, children have a greater ability to learn foreign languages, to master reading.
In the new study, researchers recorded frequency-following response (FFR) using an encephalogram in 60 newborns (12 to 72 hours); Negative.
FFR is a sound-induced response that reflects the acoustic properties of an incoming acoustic signal. FFR is now recognized as an integrated response resulting from the interaction of the early auditory subcortical and cortical systems. This indicator can be used as a biomarker to determine the risk of speech disorder.
The study shows that listening to music daily during the last trimester of pregnancy is associated with more reliable encoding of speech stimuli. This can facilitate the baby’s speech processing and early language acquisition.
The researchers also found that exposure to music during pregnancy did not affect the speed of neural conduction, in contrast to the higher processing speed of auditory and speech stimuli.