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Brief Communication

Nature Neuroscience 8, 1148–1150 (1 September 2005) | doi:10.1038/nn1516

Extensive piano practicing has regionally specific effects on white matter development

Sara L Bengtsson , Zolt|[aacute]|n Nagy , Stefan Skare , Lea Forsman , Hans Forssberg & Fredrik Ull|[eacute]|n

Using diffusion tensor imaging, we investigated effects of piano practicing in childhood, adolescence and adulthood on white matter, and found positive correlations between practicing and fiber tract organization in different regions for each age period. For childhood, practicing correlations were extensive and included the pyramidal tract, which was more structured in pianists than in non-musicians.