Ideas How rhythm helps us walk, talk — and even love
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Sep 26, 2025 Join neuroscientists Daniel J. Levitin and Nina Krauss, along with researcher John Iverson and kinesiology expert Lois Butcher-Poffley, as they explore the profound role of rhythm in human life. They discuss how rhythm shapes our ability to walk, talk, and connect emotionally from womb to adulthood. Discover how dancers enhance athletic performance through rhythmic training and learn about the therapeutic effects of rhythm for Parkinson's patients. They also reveal how music and language are intricately linked by rhythm.
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How The Brain Builds Rhythm
- Different brain circuits process pitch, duration and timbre then rapidly integrate them into tempo, rhythm and groove.
- Neurons can synchronize hierarchically to beats, supporting internal sense of rhythm.
Turning Football Into A Dance
- Dr. Lois Butcher‑Poffley used dance counts to reframe and retrain a college football team's kicking rhythm with music.
- After practicing rhythmic drills to Springsteen, the players improved consistency and won more games.
Music Restores Movement In Parkinson's
- A YouTube clip shows a Parkinson's patient walking normally and later dancing after a caregiver played a clear beat.
- The patient regained stride length and even dropped his walker while singing with the music.
