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This article examines Nadine Gaab's 2014 study which established a connection - in both children and adults - between learning to play an instrument and improved executive functioning, like problem-solving, switching between tasks and focus. The article also cites the research of neuropsychologist Ani Patel, who advances the OPERA theory of music's benefits for learning. Patel notes "music is not an island in the brain cut off from other things, that there's overlap, that's the 'O' of OPERA, between the networks that process music and the networks that are involved in other day-to-day cognitive functions such as language, memory, attention and so forth," he says. "The 'P' in OPERA is precision. Think about how sensitive we are to the tuning of an instrument, whether the pitch is in key or not, and it can be painful if it's just slightly out of tune." That level of precision in processing music, Patel says, is much higher than the level of precision used in processing speech. This means, he says, that developing our brains' musical networks may very well enhance our ability to process speech. "And the last three components of OPERA, the 'E-R-A,' are emotion, repetition and attention," he says. "These are factors that are known to promote what's called brain plasticity, the changing of the brain's structure as a function of experience."

scholarly journal article describes research in more depth about why writing about a recent break-up helps you get over it faster

"Dyslexic brains are organized in a way that maximizes strength in making big picture connections at the expense of weaknesses in processing fine details. ... The other big misconception is that dyslexia is fundamentally a learning disorder which is accompanied only by problems, rather than a different pattern of processing that can bring tremendous strengths in addition to the well-known challenges. ... dyslexic brains are especially good at putting together big pictures, or seeing larger context, or imagining how processes will play out over time"

The ability to speak and write more than one language gives people more alternatives in the global market economy. I call these people Global Linguals. A Global Lingual is a person who not only understands the global market economy, but also has trained his/herself to think globally and to speak and write more than one language.

Discusses the benefit of lifelong bilingualism and it's relationship to the aging of the brain.

Parents face a variety of choices when choosing how to rear their child, and for bilingual parents choosing a language can be a daunting but worthwhile task with myriad benefits. The traditional belief was that learning a second language would hinder the human brain, but more recently researchers believe that the bilingual ability will strengthen the brain and improve focus,

A really interesting study combining linguistics and behavioral economics. "To judge a risk more clearly, it may help to consider it in a foreign language: A series of experiments on more than 300 people from the U.S. and Korea found that thinking in a second language reduced deep-seated, misleading biases that unduly influence how risks and benefits are perceived."

This article discusses how words are made up in the texting language and the benefits and consequences of it.

Speaking more than one language won't just help you snag a date, it might also make you smarter. According to a recent study from Northwestern University, speaking more than one language constantly exercises the brain and makes it more prepared to take on other brain-challenging tasks.

Here's some good news for the bilingual folks. You may have a better chance of delaying the onset of several different dementias, just by speaking a second language, a new study says.

Many people would rather avoid particular social situations due to that anxious and uncomfortable feeling of striking a small conversation with another. However, this article explains the benefits of making "small-talk" with a co-worker.

I've always wondered if listening to foreign music helped when learning a new language. This article explains the difference of being bimusical and bilingual, both of which yield benefits.

This article talks about profanity and although it may seem like a negative thing to do, it has its benefits.

Stephen Porges, psychiatry professor and Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University, where he directs the Trauma Research Center within the Kinsey Institute, speaks about the importance of safety in relationships. Porges' Polyvagal Theory describes how our autonomic nervous system mediates safety, trust, and intimacy through a subsystem he calls the social engagement system. Our brain is constantly detecting through our senses whether we are in a situation that is safe, dangerous, or life threatening. People's autonomic nervous system are designed to perceive threat: a protective, defensive survival mechanism, but a response that can also get us into trouble if we sense that our safety is at risk, causing us to misread the situation. However, humans also have a mammalian mechanism that mediates those gut-level ANS responses. This social engagement system enables us to interpret linguistic, facial, tonal, intonation, and gestural cues, and the intentionality of others. When our body and mind experience safety, our social engagement system enables us to collaborate, listen, empathize, and connect, as well as be creative, innovative, and bold in our thinking and ideas. This has positive benefits for our relationships as well as our lives in general. The takeaways: 1. Safety is paramount in crucial conversations and conflict-resolution. 2. Learning to deploy cues that display love, trust, and engagement in the midst of conflict can help disarm defensive, threat response mechanisms in other people, help restore safety in our social interactions, and reaffirm bonds.

This is an article written about studies done on the brains of bilingual people. The main point of the argument is to show/state how the brains of bilingual people differ from those of people that are monolingual. It explains how bilingual people have more efficient brains and also explains the benefits of being bilingual.

"My husband's family couldn't believe he spoke French as if he were living in France," Raphael's mother, Raquel Jegouzo, said. At home, Raquel speaks to Raphael in English and French. His father, Erwan Jegouzo, a native French speaker, speaks to Raphael exclusively in French. The Jegouzos might be doing something right.

According to this article, bilingualism in children is correlated with tissue density in part of the brain responsible for language, memory and attention. This article confronts concerns that teaching a child two languages causes confusion, stating that such barriers are untrue and that bilingualism actually improves linguistic learning.

There are several benefits of learning a new language, the latest being it promotes a better understanding (and acceptance of) psychology and diversity. The study, published in Developmental Science, tested a total of 48 study 5- and 6-year-olds who were either monolingual, simultaneous bilingual (learning two languages at once), and sequential bilingual (learning one language, then another).