摘要

Early childhood represents a sensitive window for neurodevelopment, during which environmental inputs can induce significant neuroplastic changes. Among various forms of stimulation, musical education, particularly piano instruction, provides complex auditory, motor, and cognitive experiences that uniquely shape brain structure and function. This literature review aims to systematically examine the neuroplasticity mechanisms associated with early childhood piano education, from the perspective of educational neuroscience.A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2024 yielded approximately 70 relevant articles. The review focuses on the impact of twelve fundamental musical elements—pitch, rhythm, melody, harmony, tempo, dynamics, timbre, texture, articulation, form, phrasing, and expression—on neural development in young children. Findings indicate that structured engagement with these elements during piano learning promotes cortical thickness increases in auditory and motor areas, enhances white matter integrity, and strengthens connectivity between hemispheres. Early piano education is also associated with improvements in executive functioning, attention regulation, and emotional processing, supporting the concept of experience-dependent neuroplasticity during early development.Importantly, the evidence suggests that early, targeted exposure to diverse musical elements optimizes neural efficiency and flexibility, contributing to both domain-specific (e.g., auditory processing) and domain-general (e.g., cognitive control) enhancements. In conclusion, incorporating comprehensive piano education that systematically integrates varied musical elements into early childhood programs may offer a scientifically grounded strategy to support optimal neurodevelopment during this critical period.