Music, noise-exclusion, and learning

Children with language-based learning disorders show impaired processing of speech in challenging listening environments, suggesting a noise-exclusion deficit. Musical expertise induces neuroplastic changes throughout the nervous system, including sharpening of early sensory processing, improved linguistic ability, working memory, and source segregation——skills known to be crucial for speech in noise perception. Here we argue for the usefulness of music as an auditory training approach to improve speech perception in noise in individuals with broad noise-exclusion deficits.