FOR anyone with high hopes of becoming a musician, it may be worthwhile getting a quick brain scan. The size of your Heschl’s gyrus, part of the auditory cortex that does the primary processing of any sounds you hear, could reveal the extent of your musical potential.
Peter Schneider’s group from the University of Heidelberg found that on average, the gyrus was 2.3 times as big in professional musicians as in non-musicians, and more than twice as active when they listened to tones (Nature Neuroscience, DOI: 10.1038/nn871).
That part of the brain isn’t expected to grow after the age…
