Research projects

Here you will find further information about some of the current research at the centre.

What we study

There are three main research themes within the centre:

  1. How the cognitive, emotional, embodied, and interactional experience of music, and the brain mechanisms underlying it, change over the course of human life and in different disorders.
  2. How music-based interventions can be optimised to enhance learning and emotional, cognitive, motor and social wellbeing in educational, everyday and rehabilitation settings.
  3. What individual, contextual, psychological and neural mechanisms explain the efficacy of music.
Dancing figures in motion capture.

The sub-projects

Project

MUSPRO – music and sports

This project explores the potential benefits from music and physical education in children’s development of social and emotional skills.
Music and Movement study
Project

Music and Dance

Studying how young people use music and dance to socialise.
Project

Music and Romantic Relationships

An investigation into the use of music in romantic relationships in contemporary society, and in our evolutionary history.
Painted piano keyboard
Project

Music and cross-modal associations

Exploring how people with different cultural and musical backgrounds associate music with images, shapes, colours, emotions, and words.
child wearing EEG cap
Project

DyslexiaKid – language development, dyslexia risk, and music

Longitudinal project on language development, the influence of dyslexia risk, and the effects of early music intervention and music activities.
Child with xylophone
Project

BusyBaby – music, circus, and early language development

An intervention study on the possibilities of joint musical activities and joint circus activities for supporting language development in infants at risk for language and reading deficits.
Project

Music and You

In the "Music and You" project, we are interested in the role and importance of music in the everyday lives of young people and young adults.
Woman walking towards the sun
Project

Leisure time activities and well-being

Studying the mental health benefits of music and sports engagement.
Woman running on a footpath.
Project

Music, Sports Performance and Physical Activity

This project aims to explore the use of music during sports performance and physical activity.
Integrative Music Therapy for Depression-Related Disorders
Project

iMTDep

Music therapy as treatment for depression-related disorders in working-age people - a randomized controlled trial and a multi-method study
Project

Stress & music listening

Music listening for stress relief: a multi-method study

Main projects

Project

Musiconnect 2022-2027

Music as youth empowerment: creating connection to self and others
Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain (MMBB) team gathering in June 2022
Project

Centre of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body and Brain 2022-2029

The Center of Excellence in Music, Mind, Body, and Brain investigates music as a multimodal experience and a versatile force for change throughout the lifespan.