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Cheung VKM, Harrison PMC, Koelsch S, Pearce MT, Friederici AD, Meyer L. Cognitive and sensory expectations independently shape musical expectancy and pleasure. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20220420. [PMID: 38104601 PMCID: PMC10725761 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Expectation is crucial for our enjoyment of music, yet the underlying generative mechanisms remain unclear. While sensory models derive predictions based on local acoustic information in the auditory signal, cognitive models assume abstract knowledge of music structure acquired over the long term. To evaluate these two contrasting mechanisms, we compared simulations from four computational models of musical expectancy against subjective expectancy and pleasantness ratings of over 1000 chords sampled from 739 US Billboard pop songs. Bayesian model comparison revealed that listeners' expectancy and pleasantness ratings were predicted by the independent, non-overlapping, contributions of cognitive and sensory expectations. Furthermore, cognitive expectations explained over twice the variance in listeners' perceived surprise compared to sensory expectations, suggesting a larger relative importance of long-term representations of music structure over short-term sensory-acoustic information in musical expectancy. Our results thus emphasize the distinct, albeit complementary, roles of cognitive and sensory expectations in shaping musical pleasure, and suggest that this expectancy-driven mechanism depends on musical information represented at different levels of abstraction along the neural hierarchy. This article is part of the theme issue 'Art, aesthetics and predictive processing: theoretical and empirical perspectives'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent K. M. Cheung
- Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc., Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-0022, Japan
- Department of Neuropsychology, Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc., Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-0022, Japan
- Institute of Information Science, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Peter M. C. Harrison
- Centre for Music and Science, University of Cambridge, Faculty of Music, 11 West Road, Cambridge, CB3 9DP, UK
- Centre for Digital Music, Queen Mary University of London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Stefan Koelsch
- Department of Biological and Medical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, 5009, Norway
| | - Marcus T. Pearce
- Centre for Digital Music, Queen Mary University of London, E1 4NS, UK
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus N, 8200, Denmark
| | - Angela D. Friederici
- Department of Neuropsychology, Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc., Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-0022, Japan
| | - Lars Meyer
- Research Group Language Cycles, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig 04103, Germany
- Clinic for Phoniatrics and Pedaudiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, 48149, Germany
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2
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Van Hedger SC, Bongiovanni NR, Heald SLM, Nusbaum HC. Absolute pitch judgments of familiar melodies generalize across timbre and octave. Mem Cognit 2023; 51:1898-1910. [PMID: 37165298 DOI: 10.3758/s13421-023-01429-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Most listeners can determine when a familiar recording of music has been shifted in musical key by as little as one semitone (e.g., from B to C major). These findings appear to suggest that absolute pitch memory is widespread in the general population. However, the use of familiar recordings makes it unclear whether these findings genuinely reflect absolute melody-key associations for at least two reasons. First, listeners may be able to use spectral cues from the familiar instrumentation of the recordings to determine when a familiar recording has been shifted in pitch. Second, listeners may be able to rely solely on pitch height cues (e.g., relying on a feeling that an incorrect recording sounds "too high" or "too low"). Neither of these strategies would require an understanding of pitch chroma or musical key. The present experiments thus assessed whether listeners could make accurate absolute melody-key judgments when listening to novel versions of these melodies, differing from the iconic recording in timbre (Experiment 1) or timbre and octave (Experiment 2). Listeners in both experiments were able to select the correct-key version of the familiar melody at rates that were well above chance. These results fit within a growing body of research supporting the idea that most listeners, regardless of formal musical training, have robust representations of absolute pitch - based on pitch chroma - that generalize to novel listening situations. Implications for theories of auditory pitch memory are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen C Van Hedger
- Department of Psychology, Huron University College at Western, 1349 Western Road, London, ON, N6G 1H3, Canada.
- Department of Psychology and Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
| | | | - Shannon L M Heald
- Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Center for Practical Wisdom, University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Howard C Nusbaum
- Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Center for Practical Wisdom, University Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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3
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Gutierrez BA, González-Coronel JM, Arellano RO, Limon A. Transcriptional and bioinformatic analysis of GABA A receptors expressed in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells from the human brain. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1279232. [PMID: 37953877 PMCID: PMC10637375 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1279232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) are vital for neuronal myelination and remyelination in the central nervous system. While the molecular mechanisms involved in OPCs' differentiation and maturation are not completely understood, GABA is known to positively influence these processes through the activation of GABAA receptors (GABAARs). The molecular identity of GABAARs expressed in human OPCs remains unknown, which restricts their specific pharmacological modulation to directly assess their role in oligodendrocytes' maturation and remyelination. Methods In this study, we conducted a transcriptomic analysis to investigate the molecular stoichiometry of GABAARs in OPCs from the human brain. Using eight available transcriptomic datasets from the human brain cortex of control individuals, we analyzed the mRNA expression of all 19 known GABAARs subunit genes in OPCs, with variations observed across different ages. Results Our analysis indicated that the most expressed subunits in OPCs are α1-3, β1-3, γ1-3, and ε. Moreover, we determined that the combination of any α with β2 and γ2 is likely to form heteropentameric GABAARs in OPCs. Importantly, we also found a strong correlation between GABAAR subunits and transcripts for postsynaptic scaffold proteins, suggesting the potential postsynaptic clustering of GABAARs in OPCs. Discussion This study presents the first transcriptional-level identification of GABAAR subunits expressed in human OPCs, providing potential receptor combinations. Understanding the molecular composition of GABAARs in OPCs not only enhances our knowledge of the underlying mechanisms in oligodendrocyte maturation but also opens avenues for targeted pharmacological interventions aimed at modulating these receptors to promote remyelination in neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berenice A. Gutierrez
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
- Laboratorio de Neurofisiología Celular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Mexico
| | - José Manuel González-Coronel
- Laboratorio de Neurofisiología Celular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Mexico
| | - Rogelio O. Arellano
- Laboratorio de Neurofisiología Celular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Mexico
| | - Agenor Limon
- Department of Neurology, Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States
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Benner J, Reinhardt J, Christiner M, Wengenroth M, Stippich C, Schneider P, Blatow M. Temporal hierarchy of cortical responses reflects core-belt-parabelt organization of auditory cortex in musicians. Cereb Cortex 2023:7030622. [PMID: 36786655 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Human auditory cortex (AC) organization resembles the core-belt-parabelt organization in nonhuman primates. Previous studies assessed mostly spatial characteristics; however, temporal aspects were little considered so far. We employed co-registration of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) in musicians with and without absolute pitch (AP) to achieve spatial and temporal segregation of human auditory responses. First, individual fMRI activations induced by complex harmonic tones were consistently identified in four distinct regions-of-interest within AC, namely in medial Heschl's gyrus (HG), lateral HG, anterior superior temporal gyrus (STG), and planum temporale (PT). Second, we analyzed the temporal dynamics of individual MEG responses at the location of corresponding fMRI activations. In the AP group, the auditory evoked P2 onset occurred ~25 ms earlier in the right as compared with the left PT and ~15 ms earlier in the right as compared with the left anterior STG. This effect was consistent at the individual level and correlated with AP proficiency. Based on the combined application of MEG and fMRI measurements, we were able for the first time to demonstrate a characteristic temporal hierarchy ("chronotopy") of human auditory regions in relation to specific auditory abilities, reflecting the prediction for serial processing from nonhuman studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Benner
- Department of Neuroradiology and Section of Biomagnetism, University of Heidelberg Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Julia Reinhardt
- Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research Institute Basel (CRIB), University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Markus Christiner
- Centre for Systematic Musicology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria.,Department of Musicology, Vitols Jazeps Latvian Academy of Music, Riga, Latvia
| | - Martina Wengenroth
- Department of Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Christoph Stippich
- Department of Neuroradiology and Radiology, Kliniken Schmieder, Allensbach, Germany
| | - Peter Schneider
- Department of Neuroradiology and Section of Biomagnetism, University of Heidelberg Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.,Centre for Systematic Musicology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria.,Department of Musicology, Vitols Jazeps Latvian Academy of Music, Riga, Latvia
| | - Maria Blatow
- Section of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Neurocenter, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
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Generalizing across tonal context, timbre, and octave in rapid absolute pitch training. Atten Percept Psychophys 2023; 85:525-542. [PMID: 36690914 DOI: 10.3758/s13414-023-02653-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Absolute pitch (AP) is the rare ability to name any musical note without the use of a reference note. Given that genuine AP representations are based on the identification of isolated notes by their tone chroma, they are considered to be invariant to (1) surrounding tonal context, (2) changes in instrumental timbre, and (3) changes in octave register. However, there is considerable variability in the literature in terms of how AP is trained and tested along these dimensions, making recent claims about AP learning difficult to assess. Here, we examined the effect of tonal context on participant success with a single-note identification training paradigm, including how learning generalized to an untested instrument and octave. We found that participants were able to rapidly learn to distinguish C from other notes, with and without feedback and regardless of the tonal context in which C was presented. Participants were also able to partly generalize this skill to an untrained instrument. However, participants displayed the weakest generalization in recognizing C in a higher octave. The results indicate that participants were likely attending to pitch height in addition to pitch chroma - a conjecture that was supported by analyzing the pattern of response errors. These findings highlight the complex nature of note representation in AP, which requires note identification across contexts, going beyond the simple storage of a note fundamental. The importance of standardizing testing that spans both timbre and octave in assessing AP and further implications on past literature and future work are discussed.
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6
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Leite Filho CA, Rocha-Muniz CN, Pereira LD, Schochat E. Auditory temporal resolution and backward masking in musicians with absolute pitch. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1151776. [PMID: 37139520 PMCID: PMC10149789 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1151776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the many questions regarding the ability to effortlessly name musical notes without a reference, also known as absolute pitch, the neural processes by which this phenomenon operates are still a matter of debate. Although a perceptual subprocess is currently accepted by the literature, the participation of some aspects of auditory processing still needs to be determined. We conducted two experiments to investigate the relationship between absolute pitch and two aspects of auditory temporal processing, namely temporal resolution and backward masking. In the first experiment, musicians were organized into two groups according to the presence of absolute pitch, as determined by a pitch identification test, and compared regarding their performance in the Gaps-in-Noise test, a gap detection task for assessing temporal resolution. Despite the lack of statistically significant difference between the groups, the Gaps-in-Noise test measures were significant predictors of the measures for pitch naming precision, even after controlling for possible confounding variables. In the second experiment, another two groups of musicians with and without absolute pitch were submitted to the backward masking test, with no difference between the groups and no correlation between backward masking and absolute pitch measures. The results from both experiments suggest that only part of temporal processing is involved in absolute pitch, indicating that not all aspects of auditory perception are related to the perceptual subprocess. Possible explanations for these findings include the notable overlap of brain areas involved in both temporal resolution and absolute pitch, which is not present in the case of backward masking, and the relevance of temporal resolution to analyze the temporal fine structure of sound in pitch perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Alberto Leite Filho
- Auditory Processing Lab, Department of Physical Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology and Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Carlos Alberto Leite Filho,
| | - Caroline Nunes Rocha-Muniz
- Speech-Language Pathology Department, Santa Casa de São Paulo School of Medical Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Liliane Desgualdo Pereira
- Neuroaudiology Lab, Department of Speech Therapy, Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eliane Schochat
- Auditory Processing Lab, Department of Physical Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology and Occupational Therapy, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Weidacker K, Kim SG, Buhl-Callesen M, Jensen M, Pedersen MU, Thomsen KR, Voon V. The prediction of resilience to alcohol consumption in youths: insular and subcallosal cingulate myeloarchitecture. Psychol Med 2022; 52:2032-2042. [PMID: 33143793 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291720003852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prediction of alcohol consumption in youths and particularly biomarkers of resilience, is critical for early intervention to reduce the risk of subsequent harmful alcohol use. METHODS At baseline, the longitudinal relaxation rate (R1), indexing grey matter myelination (i.e. myeloarchitecture), was assessed in 86 adolescents/young adults (mean age = 21.76, range: 15.75-26.67 years). The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) was assessed at baseline, 1- and 2-year follow-ups (12- and 24-months post-baseline). We used a whole brain data-driven approach controlled for age, gender, impulsivity and other substance and behavioural addiction measures, such as problematic cannabis use, drug use-related problems, internet gaming, pornography use, binge eating, and levels of externalization, to predict the change in AUDIT scores from R1. RESULTS Greater baseline bilateral anterior insular and subcallosal cingulate R1 (cluster-corrected family-wise error p < 0.05) predict a lower risk for harmful alcohol use (measured as a reduction in AUDIT scores) at 2-year follow-up. Control analyses show that other grey matter measures (local volume or fractional anisotropy) did not reveal such an association. An atlas-based machine learning approach further confirms the findings. CONCLUSIONS The insula is critically involved in predictive coding of autonomic function relevant to subjective alcohol cue/craving states and risky decision-making processes. The subcallosal cingulate is an essential node underlying emotion regulation and involved in negative emotionality addiction theories. Our findings highlight insular and cingulate myeloarchitecture as a potential protective biomarker that predicts resilience to alcohol misuse in youths, providing novel identifiers for early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Seung-Goo Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Mette Buhl-Callesen
- Centre for Alcohol and Drug Research, School of Business and Social Sciences, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mads Jensen
- Center of Functionally Integrative Neuroscience, MINDLab, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mads Uffe Pedersen
- Centre for Alcohol and Drug Research, School of Business and Social Sciences, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Kristine Rømer Thomsen
- Centre for Alcohol and Drug Research, School of Business and Social Sciences, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Valerie Voon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Staib M, Frühholz S. Distinct functional levels of human voice processing in the auditory cortex. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:1170-1185. [PMID: 35348635 PMCID: PMC9930621 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Voice signaling is integral to human communication, and a cortical voice area seemed to support the discrimination of voices from other auditory objects. This large cortical voice area in the auditory cortex (AC) was suggested to process voices selectively, but its functional differentiation remained elusive. We used neuroimaging while humans processed voices and nonvoice sounds, and artificial sounds that mimicked certain voice sound features. First and surprisingly, specific auditory cortical voice processing beyond basic acoustic sound analyses is only supported by a very small portion of the originally described voice area in higher-order AC located centrally in superior Te3. Second, besides this core voice processing area, large parts of the remaining voice area in low- and higher-order AC only accessorily process voices and might primarily pick up nonspecific psychoacoustic differences between voices and nonvoices. Third, a specific subfield of low-order AC seems to specifically decode acoustic sound features that are relevant but not exclusive for voice detection. Taken together, the previously defined voice area might have been overestimated since cortical support for human voice processing seems rather restricted. Cortical voice processing also seems to be functionally more diverse and embedded in broader functional principles of the human auditory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Staib
- Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, University of Zurich, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sascha Frühholz
- Corresponding author: Department of Psychology, University of Zürich, Binzmuhlestrasse 14/18, 8050 Zürich, Switzerland.
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Rogenmoser L, Arnicane A, Jäncke L, Elmer S. The left dorsal stream causally mediates the tone labeling in absolute pitch. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2021; 1500:122-133. [PMID: 34046902 PMCID: PMC8518498 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Absolute pitch (AP) refers to the ability to effortlessly identify given pitches without any reference. Correlative evidence suggests that the left posterior dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is responsible for the process underlying pitch labeling in AP. Here, we measured the sight‐reading performance of right‐handed AP possessors and matched controls under cathodal and sham transcranial direct current stimulation of the left DLPFC. The participants were instructed to report notations as accurately and as fast as possible by playing with their right hand on a piano. The notations were simultaneously presented with distracting auditory stimuli that either matched or mismatched them in different semitone degrees. Unlike the controls, AP possessors revealed an interference effect in that they responded slower in mismatching conditions than in the matching one. Under cathodal stimulation, this interference effect disappeared. These findings confirm that the pitch‐labeling process underlying AP occurs automatically and is largely nonsuppressible when triggered by tone exposure. The improvement of the AP possessors’ sight‐reading performances in response to the suppression of the left DLPFC using cathodal stimulation confirms a causal relationship between this brain structure and pitch labeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Rogenmoser
- Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Andra Arnicane
- Auditory Research Group Zurich (ARGZ), Division of Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lutz Jäncke
- Auditory Research Group Zurich (ARGZ), Division of Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,University Research Priority Program (URPP), Dynamics of Healthy Aging, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Elmer
- Auditory Research Group Zurich (ARGZ), Division of Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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The Myelin Content of the Human Precentral Hand Knob Reflects Interindividual Differences in Manual Motor Control at the Physiological and Behavioral Level. J Neurosci 2021; 41:3163-3179. [PMID: 33653698 PMCID: PMC8026359 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0390-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The primary motor cortex hand area (M1HAND) and adjacent dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) form the so-called motor hand knob in the precentral gyrus. M1HAND and PMd are critical for dexterous hand use and are densely interconnected via corticocortical axons, lacking a sharp demarcating border. In 24 young right-handed volunteers, we performed multimodal mapping to delineate the relationship between structure and function in the right motor hand knob. Quantitative structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3 tesla yielded regional R1 maps as a proxy of cortical myelin content. Participants also underwent functional MRI (fMRI). We mapped task-related activation and temporal precision, while they performed a visuomotor synchronization task requiring visually cued abduction movements with the left index or little finger. We also performed sulcus-aligned transcranial magnetic stimulation of the motor hand knob to localize the optimal site (hotspot) for evoking a motor evoked potential (MEP) in two intrinsic hand muscles. Individual motor hotspot locations varied along the rostrocaudal axis. The more rostral the motor hotspot location in the precentral crown, the longer were corticomotor MEP latencies. “Hotspot rostrality” was associated with the regional myelin content in the precentral hand knob. Cortical myelin content also correlated positively with task-related activation of the precentral crown and temporal precision during the visuomotor synchronization task. Together, our results suggest a link among cortical myelination, the spatial cortical representation, and temporal precision of finger movements. We hypothesize that the myelination of cortical axons facilitates neuronal integration in PMd and M1HAND and, hereby, promotes the precise timing of movements. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Here we used magnetic resonance imaging and transcranial magnetic stimulation of the precentral motor hand knob to test for a link among cortical myelin content, functional corticomotor representations, and manual motor control. A higher myelin content of the precentral motor hand knob was associated with more rostral corticomotor presentations, with stronger task-related activation and a higher precision of movement timing during a visuomotor synchronization task. We propose that a high precentral myelin content enables fast and precise neuronal integration in M1 (primary motor cortex) and dorsal premotor cortex, resulting in higher temporal precision during dexterous hand use. Our results identify the degree of myelination as an important structural feature of the neocortex that is tightly linked to the function and behavior supported by the cortical area.
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Leipold S, Klein C, Jäncke L. Musical Expertise Shapes Functional and Structural Brain Networks Independent of Absolute Pitch Ability. J Neurosci 2021; 41:2496-2511. [PMID: 33495199 PMCID: PMC7984587 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1985-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Professional musicians are a popular model for investigating experience-dependent plasticity in human large-scale brain networks. A minority of musicians possess absolute pitch, the ability to name a tone without reference. The study of absolute pitch musicians provides insights into how a very specific talent is reflected in brain networks. Previous studies of the effects of musicianship and absolute pitch on large-scale brain networks have yielded highly heterogeneous findings regarding the localization and direction of the effects. This heterogeneity was likely influenced by small samples and vastly different methodological approaches. Here, we conducted a comprehensive multimodal assessment of effects of musicianship and absolute pitch on intrinsic functional and structural connectivity using a variety of commonly used and state-of-the-art multivariate methods in the largest sample to date (n = 153 female and male human participants; 52 absolute pitch musicians, 51 non-absolute pitch musicians, and 50 non-musicians). Our results show robust effects of musicianship in interhemispheric and intrahemispheric connectivity in both structural and functional networks. Crucially, most of the effects were replicable in both musicians with and without absolute pitch compared with non-musicians. However, we did not find evidence for an effect of absolute pitch on intrinsic functional or structural connectivity in our data: The two musician groups showed strikingly similar networks across all analyses. Our results suggest that long-term musical training is associated with robust changes in large-scale brain networks. The effects of absolute pitch on neural networks might be subtle, requiring very large samples or task-based experiments to be detected.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT A question that has fascinated neuroscientists, psychologists, and musicologists for a long time is how musicianship and absolute pitch, the rare talent to name a tone without reference, are reflected in large-scale networks of the human brain. Much is still unknown as previous studies have reported widely inconsistent results based on small samples. Here, we investigate the largest sample of musicians and non-musicians to date (n = 153) using a multitude of established and novel analysis methods. Results provide evidence for robust effects of musicianship on functional and structural networks that were replicable in two separate groups of musicians and independent of absolute pitch ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Leipold
- Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305
| | - Carina Klein
- Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lutz Jäncke
- Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland
- University Research Priority Program, Dynamics of Healthy Aging, University of Zurich, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland
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Germano NDG, Cogo-Moreira H, Coutinho-Lourenço F, Bortz G. A new approach to measuring absolute pitch on a psychometric theory of isolated pitch perception: Is it disentangling specific groups or capturing a continuous ability? PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247473. [PMID: 33617560 PMCID: PMC7899369 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Absolute Pitch (AP) is commonly defined as a rare ability that allows an individual to identify any pitch by name. Most researchers use classificatory tests for AP which tracks the number of isolated correct answers. However, each researcher chooses their own procedure for what should be considered correct or incorrect in measuring this ability. Consequently, it is impossible to evaluate comparatively how the stimuli and criteria classify individuals in the same way. We thus adopted a psychometric perspective, approaching AP as a latent trait. Via the Latent Variable Model, we evaluated the consistency and validity for a measure to test for AP ability. A total of 783 undergraduate music students participated in the test. The test battery comprised 10 isolated pitches. All collected data were analyzed with two different rating criteria (perfect and imperfect) under three Latent Variable Model approaches: continuous (Item Response Theory with two and three parameters), categorical (Latent Class Analysis), and the Hybrid model. According to model fit information indices, the perfect approach (only exact pitch responses as correct) measurement model had a better fit under the trait (continuous) specification. This contradicts the usual assumption of a division between AP and non-AP possessors. Alternatively, the categorical solution for the two classes demonstrated the best solution for the imperfect approach (exact pitch responses and semitone deviations considered as correct).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hugo Cogo-Moreira
- School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, China
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13
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Rogenmoser L, Li HC, Jäncke L, Schlaug G. Auditory aversion in absolute pitch possessors. Cortex 2020; 135:285-297. [PMID: 33421728 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Absolute pitch (AP) refers to the ability of identifying the pitch of a given tone without reliance on any reference pitch. The downside of possessing AP may be the experience of disturbance when exposed to out-of-tune tones. Here, we investigated this so-far unexplored phenomenon in AP, which we refer to as auditory aversion. Electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded in a sample of AP possessors and matched control musicians without AP while letting them perform a task underlying a so-called affective priming paradigm: Participants judged valenced pictures preceded by musical primes as quickly and accurately as possible. The primes were bimodal, presented as tones in combination with visual notations that either matched or mismatched the actually presented tone. Both samples performed better in judging unpleasant pictures over pleasant ones. In comparison with the control musicians, the AP possessors revealed a more profound discrepancy between the two valence conditions, and their EEG revealed later peaks at around 200 ms (P200) after prime onset. Their performance dropped when responding to pleasant pictures preceded by incongruent primes, especially when mistuned by one semitone. This interference was also reflected in an EEG deflection at around 400 ms (N400) after picture onset, preceding the behavior responses. These findings suggest that AP possessors process mistuned musical stimuli and pleasant pictures as affectively unrelated with each other, supporting an aversion towards out-of-tune tones in AP possessors. The longer prime-related P200 latencies exhibited by AP possessors suggest a delay in integrating musical stimuli, underlying an altered affinity towards pitch-label associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Rogenmoser
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
| | - H Charles Li
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lutz Jäncke
- Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; University Research Priority Program (URPP), Dynamics of Healthy Aging, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gottfried Schlaug
- Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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14
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The importance of the fibre tracts connecting the planum temporale in absolute pitch possessors. Neuroimage 2020; 211:116590. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Revised: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
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15
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Mueller SG. Mapping internal brainstem structures using MP2RAGE derived T1 weighted and T1 relaxation images at 3 and 7 T. Hum Brain Mapp 2020; 41:2173-2186. [PMID: 31971322 PMCID: PMC7198362 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2019] [Revised: 01/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The brainstem is a site of early pathology in several neurodegenerative diseases. The overall goal of this project was (a) To develop a method to segment internal brainstem structures from MP2RAGE derived images. (b) To compare the segmentations at 3 and 7 T. (c) To investigate age effects on intensities and segmentations. MP2RAGE derived T1 weighted images (UNI) and T1 relaxation maps (T1map) were obtained from two public data sets (LEMON: 50 3 T data sets, ATAG: 46 7 T data sets). The UNI and T1map images were rescaled using a linear scaling procedure and a ratio (RATIO) image calculated. The brainstem was extracted and k‐mean clustering used to identify six intensity clusters from the UNI, T1map and RATIO at 3 and 7 T. Nonlinear diffeomorphic mapping was used to warp the six intensity clusters in subject space into a common space to generate probabilistic group averages/priors that were used to inform the final probabilistic segmentations at the single subject level for each field strength. The six clusters corresponded to six brainstem tissue types (three gray matter clusters and two white matter clusters and one csf/tissue boundary cluster). The quantitative comparison of the 3 and 7 T probabilistic averages showed subtle differences that affected the localization of age‐associated brainstem volume losses. The segmentation approach presented here identified the same brainstem gray and white matter structures at both field strengths. Further studies are necessary to investigate how resolution and field strength contribute to the subtle differences observed at the two field strengths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne G Mueller
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, California
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16
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Matsuda M, Igarashi H, Itoh K. Auditory T-Complex Reveals Reduced Neural Activities in the Right Auditory Cortex in Musicians With Absolute Pitch. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:809. [PMID: 31447632 PMCID: PMC6691098 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Absolute pitch (AP) is the ability to identify the pitch names of arbitrary musical tones without being given a reference pitch. The acquisition of AP typically requires early musical training, the critical time window for which is similar to that for the acquisition of a first language. This study investigated the left-right asymmetry of the auditory cortical functions responsible for AP by focusing on the T-complex of auditory evoked potentials (AEPs), which shows morphological changes during the critical period for language acquisition. AEPs evoked by a pure-tone stimulus were recorded in high-AP musicians, low-AP musicians, and non-musicians (n = 19 each). A balanced non-cephalic electrode (BNE) reference was used to examine the left-right asymmetry of the N1a and N1c components of the T-complex. As a result, a left-dominant N1c was observed only in the high-AP musician group, indicating "AP negativity," which has previously been described as an electrophysiological marker of AP. Notably, this hemispheric asymmetry was due to a diminution of the right N1c rather than enhancement of the left N1c. A left-dominant N1a was found in both musician groups, irrespective of AP. N1c and N1a exhibited no left-right asymmetry in non-musicians. Hence, music training and the acquisition of AP are both accompanied by a left-dominant hemispheric specialization of auditory cortical functions, as indexed by N1a and N1c, respectively, but the N1c asymmetry in AP possessors was due to reduced neural activities in the right hemisphere. The use of a BNE is recommended for evaluating these radially oriented components of the T-complex.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kosuke Itoh
- Center for Integrated Human Brain Science, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
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17
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Grisendi T, Reynaud O, Clarke S, Da Costa S. Processing pathways for emotional vocalizations. Brain Struct Funct 2019; 224:2487-2504. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-019-01912-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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18
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The myeloarchitecture of impulsivity: premature responding in youth is associated with decreased myelination of ventral putamen. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:1216-1223. [PMID: 30770890 PMCID: PMC6544540 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0343-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2018] [Revised: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Impulsivity has been suggested as a neurocognitive endophenotype conferring risk across a number of neuropsychiatric conditions, including substance and behavioural addictions, eating disorders, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. We used a paradigm with interspecies translation validity (the four-choice serial reaction time task, 4CSRTT) to assess 'waiting' impulsivity in a youth sample (N = 99, aged 16-26 years). We collected magnetization prepared two rapid acquisition gradient echo (MP2RAGE) scans, which enabled us to measure R1, the longitudinal relaxation rate, a parameter closely related to tissue myelin content, as well as quantify grey matter volume. We also assessed inhibitory control (commission errors) on a Go/NoGo task and measured decisional impulsivity (delay discounting) using the Monetary Choice Questionnaire (MCQ). We found R1 of the bilateral ventral putamen was negatively correlated with premature responding, the index of waiting impulsivity on the 4CSRTT. Heightened impulsivity in youth was significantly and specifically associated with lower levels of myelination in the ventral putamen. Impulsivity was not associated with grey matter volume. The association with myelination was specific to waiting impulsivity: R1 was not associated with decisional impulsivity on the MCQ or inhibitory control on the Go/NoGo task. We report that heightened waiting impulsivity, measured as premature responding on the 4CSRTT, is specifically associated with lower levels of ventral putaminal myelination, measured using R1. This may represent a neural signature of vulnerability to diseases associated with excessive impulsivity and demonstrates the added explanatory power of quantifying the mesoscopic organization of the human brain, over and above macroscopic volumetric measurements.
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19
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Absolute and relative pitch processing in the human brain: neural and behavioral evidence. Brain Struct Funct 2019; 224:1723-1738. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-019-01872-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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20
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Brauchli C, Leipold S, Jäncke L. Univariate and multivariate analyses of functional networks in absolute pitch. Neuroimage 2019; 189:241-247. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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21
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Early tone categorization in absolute pitch musicians is subserved by the right-sided perisylvian brain. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1419. [PMID: 30723232 PMCID: PMC6363806 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-38273-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Absolute pitch (AP) is defined as the ability to identify and label tones without reference to keyality. In this context, the main question is whether early or late processing stages are responsible for this ability. We investigated the electrophysiological responses to tones in AP and relative pitch (RP) possessors while participants listened attentively to sine tones. Since event-related potentials are particularly suited for tracking tone encoding (N100 and P200), categorization (N200), and mnemonic functions (N400), we hypothesized that differences in early pitch processing stages would be reflected by increased N100 and P200-related areas in AP musicians. Otherwise, differences in later cognitive stages of tone processing should be mirrored by increased N200 and/or N400 areas in AP musicians. AP possessors exhibited larger N100 areas and a tendency towards enhanced P200 areas. Furthermore, the sources of these components were estimated and statistically compared between the two groups for a set of a priori defined regions of interest. AP musicians demonstrated increased N100-related current densities in the right superior temporal sulcus, middle temporal gyrus, and Heschl’s gyrus. Results are interpreted as indicating that early between-group differences in right-sided perisylvian brain regions might reflect auditory tone categorization rather than labelling mechanisms.
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22
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Microstructural imaging of human neocortex in vivo. Neuroimage 2018; 182:184-206. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.02.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 02/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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23
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Tichko P, Skoe E. Musical Experience, Sensorineural Auditory Processing, and Reading Subskills in Adults. Brain Sci 2018; 8:E77. [PMID: 29702572 PMCID: PMC5977068 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci8050077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2018] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental research suggests that sensorineural auditory processing, reading subskills (e.g., phonological awareness and rapid naming), and musical experience are related during early periods of reading development. Interestingly, recent work suggests that these relations may extend into adulthood, with indices of sensorineural auditory processing relating to global reading ability. However, it is largely unknown whether sensorineural auditory processing relates to specific reading subskills, such as phonological awareness and rapid naming, as well as musical experience in mature readers. To address this question, we recorded electrophysiological responses to a repeating click (auditory stimulus) in a sample of adult readers. We then investigated relations between electrophysiological responses to sound, reading subskills, and musical experience in this same set of adult readers. Analyses suggest that sensorineural auditory processing, reading subskills, and musical experience are related in adulthood, with faster neural conduction times and greater musical experience associated with stronger rapid-naming skills. These results are similar to the developmental findings that suggest reading subskills are related to sensorineural auditory processing and musical experience in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parker Tichko
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Developmental Psychology Division, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
| | - Erika Skoe
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Developmental Psychology Division, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
- Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
- Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
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24
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Kim SG, Knösche TR. On the Perceptual Subprocess of Absolute Pitch. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:557. [PMID: 29085275 PMCID: PMC5649255 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Absolute pitch (AP) is the rare ability of musicians to identify the pitch of tonal sound without external reference. While there have been behavioral and neuroimaging studies on the characteristics of AP, how the AP is implemented in human brains remains largely unknown. AP can be viewed as comprising of two subprocesses: perceptual (processing auditory input to extract a pitch chroma) and associative (linking an auditory representation of pitch chroma with a verbal/non-verbal label). In this review, we focus on the nature of the perceptual subprocess of AP. Two different models on how the perceptual subprocess works have been proposed: either via absolute pitch categorization (APC) or based on absolute pitch memory (APM). A major distinction between the two views is that whether the AP uses unique auditory processing (i.e., APC) that exists only in musicians with AP or it is rooted in a common phenomenon (i.e., APM), only with heightened efficiency. We review relevant behavioral and neuroimaging evidence that supports each notion. Lastly, we list open questions and potential ideas to address them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Goo Kim
- Research Group for MEG and EEG-Cortical Networks and Cognitive Functions, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas R Knösche
- Research Group for MEG and EEG-Cortical Networks and Cognitive Functions, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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25
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Kim SG, Knösche TR. Resting state functional connectivity of the ventral auditory pathway in musicians with absolute pitch. Hum Brain Mapp 2017; 38:3899-3916. [PMID: 28481006 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2017] [Revised: 04/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Absolute pitch (AP) is the ability to recognize pitch chroma of tonal sound without external references, providing a unique model of the human auditory system (Zatorre: Nat Neurosci 6 () 692-695). In a previous study (Kim and Knösche: Hum Brain Mapp () 3486-3501), we identified enhanced intracortical myelination in the right planum polare (PP) in musicians with AP, which could be a potential site for perceptional processing of pitch chroma information. We speculated that this area, which initiates the ventral auditory pathway, might be crucially involved in the perceptual stage of the AP process in the context of the "dual pathway hypothesis" that suggests the role of the ventral pathway in processing nonspatial information related to the identity of an auditory object (Rauschecker: Eur J Neurosci 41 () 579-585). To test our conjecture on the ventral pathway, we investigated resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) from musicians with varying degrees of AP. Should our hypothesis be correct, RSFC via the ventral pathway is expected to be stronger in musicians with AP, whereas such group effect is not predicted in the RSFC via the dorsal pathway. In the current data, we found greater RSFC between the right PP and bilateral anteroventral auditory cortices in musicians with AP. In contrast, we did not find any group difference in the RSFC of the planum temporale (PT) between musicians with and without AP. We believe that these findings support our conjecture on the critical role of the ventral pathway in AP recognition. Hum Brain Mapp 38:3899-3916, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Goo Kim
- Research Group for MEG and EEG - Cortical Networks and Cognitive Functions, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas R Knösche
- Research Group for MEG and EEG - Cortical Networks and Cognitive Functions, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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26
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Tanaka S, Kirino E. Reorganization of the thalamocortical network in musicians. Brain Res 2017; 1664:48-54. [PMID: 28377159 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2017.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Revised: 03/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The cortico-thalamocortical network is relevant to music performance in that the network can regulate sensitivity to afferent input or sound, mediate the integration of multimodal information required for the performance, and play a role in skilled performance control. We, therefore, predicted that this network would be reorganized via musical training-induced neuroplasticity. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed resting-state functional connectivity of the thalamocortical network in musicians (n=35) and nonmusicians (n=35). The seed-to-voxel functional connectivity analysis of the left thalamus seed showed enhanced connectivity voxels in the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) in musicians compared with nonmusicians. Region of interest (ROI)-to-ROI functional connectivity analysis showed that the auditory areas were also more strongly connected with the left thalamus in musicians. Discriminant analysis using the ROI-to-ROI functional connectivity data of the precuneus/PCC and auditory areas as predictors yielded an 87% correct discrimination of musicians from nonmusicians. Therefore, we can conclude that, as a consequence of long-term musical training, musicians have a characteristically organized thalamocortical network. The precuneus and PCC are principal nodes of the default mode network and play a pivotal role in the manipulation of mental imagery. We propose that the reorganized thalamocortical network in musicians contributes not only to higher sensitivity to sound but also to the integration of mental imagery with sound, which are both presumed to be important for better music performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoji Tanaka
- Department of Information and Communication Sciences, Sophia University, Tokyo 102-0081, Japan.
| | - Eiji Kirino
- Department of Psychiatry, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8431, Japan; Juntendo Shizuoka Hospital, Shizuoka 410-2211, Japan
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