Vanderbilt Music Cognition Lab

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September 30, 2025

Studies find connection between impaired musical rhythm abilities and developmental speech-language disorders 

Evidence showed that deficiency in musical rhythm perception is a “modest but consistent risk factor for developmental speech, language and reading disorders.”

By Evan Dorian
Patient Kai Chan works with Jess Knoble, MT-BC, at the Vanderbilt Music Cognition Lab.
July 31, 2025

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Vanderbilt Music Cognition Lab is a space for learning for everyone involved 

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center are on their way to finding out what science has to say about why music is important for health.

By Evan Dorian
July 28, 2023

Vanderbilt Music Cognition Lab hosts second annual open house

Have you ever wondered what science has to say about why music is important for health? You can find out at the Vanderbilt Music Cognition Lab’s second annual open house on Tuesday, Aug. 15.

By VUMC News and Communications
July 14, 2023

Study uses statistical and population-based methods to understand comorbidities of developmental language disorder

A recent Vanderbilt study is one of the first to use statistical and population-based methods to understand comorbidities associated with developmental language disorder at a population level.

By Danny Bonvissuto
July 12, 2023

Musical rhythms shown to improve language processing in children with Developmental Language Disorder

Musical rhythms can help children with speech and language processing difficulties in finding their voice by improving their capacity to repeat sentences they just heard, according to a study led by a Western Sydney University researcher and co-authored by Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

By Craig Boerner
Silas LaCagnin gazes at his mother, Ansley LaCagnin, while she sings to him.
November 3, 2022

Study finds sensitivity to musical rhythm supports social development in infants

A new study shows engaging infants with a song provides a ready-made means for supporting social development and interaction.

By Craig Boerner
June 16, 2022

Scientists at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and 23andMe find genetic link to people’s ability to move to a musical beat

Vanderbilt researchers, in collaboration with 23andMe, have made a significant discovery about the biological underpinnings of musical rhythm.  
By Emily Stembridge
January 13, 2022

Treatment sharpens sense of smell for ‘professional nose’

Surgery at Vanderbilt helped 25-year-old Meredith Watson pursue her dream of becoming a professional nose — someone specially trained in combining ingredients to create fragrances.
By Jill Clendening
December 16, 2021

Meredith Watson is pursuing a career as a “professional nose.” Surgery at VUMC sharpened her sense of smell.

"I literally could feel air in parts of my nose where I’d never felt it before.”
By Jill Clendening
September 6, 2021

Medical diagnoses in musicians

Vanderbilt researchers mined electronic health records to find medical diagnoses that are more or less prevalent among musicians, who are present in large numbers in “Music City.”
By Leigh MacMillan
June 23, 2021

Virtual study of stress in parents of children with developmental disabilities seeks participants

Otolaryngology researchers from the Music Cognition Lab are seeking to recruit parents of children with developmental disabilities for a study about the connection between mindfulness, music and stress levels. 
By VUMC News and Communications
August 13, 2020

ACM gift aims to improve lives of children with autism spectrum disorder

ACM Lifting Lives, the charitable arm of the Academy of Country Music, has made a generous gift to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for programs and research demonstrating the healing power of music to improve the lives of children with autism spectrum disorder.
By VUMC News and Communications
April 16, 2020

At home with children? Have fun and get creative with this music toolkit.

“Musical activities can also support one of the most critical social relationships: that between a parent and child.”
By Kelsey Herbers