PINT OF SCIENCE FESTIVAL
19-21 MAY 2025
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You know how, when singing a song in a language we do not know very well, we end up using words that seem right, but are actully wrong? Have you ever wondered how our brain understands and elaborates music and language? Well, you are in luck, because we have two scientists who studies exactly that and are ready to tell you about it!
When music and the brain do not get along
Manon Couvignou
PhD candidate
ULB
Have you often been told that you sing out of tune? You can’t recognize tunes without the help of lyrics and music sounds like a foreign language to you? You may be suffering from amusia. This fascinating disorder, which specifically affects musical perception and production, appears despite good hearing, normal intelligence, and regular exposure to music. We will see how a brain with amusia differs from a typical brain and how this has helped to understand how humans perceive music. We will then explore the manifestations of amusia in childhood and its relationship with dyslexia.
The brain: wired to read?
Alice Van Audenhaege
PhD candidate
UCL
Imagine trying to read a message in a foreign alphabet. Impossible at first, but with a lot of practice, you could learn how to give meaning to the symbols you see. This is what you are actually doing effortlessly by reading these lines. By learning to read your native language some time ago, you have become an expert in converting printed symbols into meaningful language in your mind.
What changed? The connections in your brain surely did, due to the fascinating ability of your brain to adapt to the most various experiences : its remarkable plasticity.
