Interest in the influence of musical training on executive functions (EFs) has been growing in recent years. However, the relationship between musical training and EFs remains unclear. By dividing EFs into inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, this study systematically examined its association with musical training in children, and further verified whether there was a sensitive period for the influence of music training on EFs. In Experiment 1, musically trained and untrained children were asked to complete the Go/No-go, Stroop, Continuous Performance, and Switching tasks. Results showed that musically trained children had an advantage in attention inhibition, response inhibition, and working memory, but not in cognitive flexibility. Moreover, the level of musical training was positively correlated with response inhibition and working memory abilities. In Experiment 2, results showed that early-trained musicians performed better on measures of attention inhibition, response inhibition, and working memory than did the age-matched control group, but late-trained musicians only performed better in attention inhibition. Thus, our findings suggest that music training is associated with enhanced EF abilities and provide the first evidence that early childhood is a sensitive period when musical training has a more powerful effect on the development of EFs.

近年来，人们对音乐训练对执行功能（EFs）的影响的兴趣不断增长。但是，音乐训练和EF之间的关系仍然不清楚。通过将EF分为抑制性控制，工作记忆和认知灵活性，该研究系统地检查了其与儿童音乐训练的关联，并进一步验证了音乐训练对EF的影响是否存在敏感时期。在实验1中，要求受过音乐训练和未经训练的孩子完成“通过/不通过”，“ Stroop”，“ Continuous Performance”和“ Switching”任务。结果表明，受过音乐训练的儿童在注意力抑制，反应抑制和工作记忆方面具有优势，但在认知灵活性方面却没有优势。此外，音乐训练的水平与反应抑制和工作记忆能力呈正相关。在实验2中，结果表明，受过早期训练的音乐家在注意抑制，反应抑制和工作记忆方面的表现优于年龄匹配的对照组，但受过晚期训练的音乐家在注意抑制上的表现更好。因此，我们的发现表明，音乐训练与增强的EF能力相关，并提供了第一个证据，表明儿童早期是一个敏感时期，此时音乐训练对EF的发展具有更强大的影响。但是训练有素的音乐家只能在注意力抑制方面表现更好。因此，我们的研究结果表明，音乐训练与增强的EF能力相关，并提供了第一个证据，即音乐训练对EF的发展具有更强大的影响时，幼儿期是一个敏感时期。但是训练有素的音乐家只能在注意力抑制方面表现更好。因此，我们的发现表明，音乐训练与增强的EF能力相关，并提供了第一个证据，表明儿童早期是一个敏感时期，此时音乐训练对EF的发展具有更强大的影响。