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Heng JG, Zhang J, Bonetti L, Lim WPH, Vuust P, Agres K, Chen SHA. Understanding music and aging through the lens of Bayesian inference. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105768. [PMID: 38908730 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105768] [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] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
Bayesian inference has recently gained momentum in explaining music perception and aging. A fundamental mechanism underlying Bayesian inference is the notion of prediction. This framework could explain how predictions pertaining to musical (melodic, rhythmic, harmonic) structures engender action, emotion, and learning, expanding related concepts of music research, such as musical expectancies, groove, pleasure, and tension. Moreover, a Bayesian perspective of music perception may shed new insights on the beneficial effects of music in aging. Aging could be framed as an optimization process of Bayesian inference. As predictive inferences refine over time, the reliance on consolidated priors increases, while the updating of prior models through Bayesian inference attenuates. This may affect the ability of older adults to estimate uncertainties in their environment, limiting their cognitive and behavioral repertoire. With Bayesian inference as an overarching framework, this review synthesizes the literature on predictive inferences in music and aging, and details how music could be a promising tool in preventive and rehabilitative interventions for older adults through the lens of Bayesian inference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiamin Gladys Heng
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
| | - Jiayi Zhang
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Centre for Research and Development in Learning, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Leonardo Bonetti
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University & The Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus, Aalborg, Denmark; Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, Linacre College, University of Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, United Kingdom; Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Peter Vuust
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University & The Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Kat Agres
- Centre for Music and Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shen-Hsing Annabel Chen
- School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Centre for Research and Development in Learning, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
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2
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Giustiniani A, Quartarone A. Defining the concept of reserve in the motor domain: a systematic review. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1403065. [PMID: 38745935 PMCID: PMC11091373 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1403065] [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: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
A reserve in the motor domain may underlie the capacity exhibited by some patients to maintain motor functionality in the face of a certain level of disease. This form of "motor reserve" (MR) could include cortical, cerebellar, and muscular processes. However, a systematic definition has not been provided yet. Clarifying this concept in healthy individuals and patients would be crucial for implementing prevention strategies and rehabilitation protocols. Due to its wide application in the assessment of motor system functioning, non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) may support such definition. Here, studies focusing on reserve in the motor domain and studies using NIBS were revised. Current literature highlights the ability of the motor system to create a reserve and a possible role for NIBS. MR could include several mechanisms occurring in the brain, cerebellum, and muscles, and NIBS may support the understanding of such mechanisms.
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3
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Papadaki E, Koustakas T, Werner A, Lindenberger U, Kühn S, Wenger E. Resting-state functional connectivity in an auditory network differs between aspiring professional and amateur musicians and correlates with performance. Brain Struct Funct 2023; 228:2147-2163. [PMID: 37792073 PMCID: PMC10587189 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02711-1] [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: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Auditory experience-dependent plasticity is often studied in the domain of musical expertise. Available evidence suggests that years of musical practice are associated with structural and functional changes in auditory cortex and related brain regions. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to investigate neural correlates of musical training and expertise beyond specific task influences. Here, we compared two groups of musicians with varying expertise: 24 aspiring professional musicians preparing for their entrance exam at Universities of Arts versus 17 amateur musicians without any such aspirations but who also performed music on a regular basis. We used an interval recognition task to define task-relevant brain regions and computed functional connectivity and graph-theoretical measures in this network on separately acquired resting-state data. Aspiring professionals performed significantly better on all behavioral indicators including interval recognition and also showed significantly greater network strength and global efficiency than amateur musicians. Critically, both average network strength and global efficiency were correlated with interval recognition task performance assessed in the scanner, and with an additional measure of interval identification ability. These findings demonstrate that task-informed resting-state fMRI can capture connectivity differences that correspond to expertise-related differences in behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleftheria Papadaki
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
- International Max Planck Research School on the Life Course (LIFE), Berlin, Germany.
| | - Theodoros Koustakas
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - André Werner
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulman Lindenberger
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195, Berlin, Germany
- Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Berlin, Germany, London, UK
| | - Simone Kühn
- Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
- Neuronal Plasticity Working Group, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Wenger
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195, Berlin, Germany
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4
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Kim CW, Kim Y, Kim HH, Choi JY. The aspect of structural connectivity in relation to age-related gait performance. PSYCHORADIOLOGY 2023; 3:kkad028. [PMID: 38666123 PMCID: PMC10917373 DOI: 10.1093/psyrad/kkad028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Cheol-Woon Kim
- Department of Physical Education, Korea University,, 02841, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yechan Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University,, 26493, Wonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Ho Kim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University,, 26493, Wonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Joon Yul Choi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yonsei University,, 26493, Wonju, Republic of Korea
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5
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Rus-Oswald OG, Benner J, Reinhardt J, Bürki C, Christiner M, Hofmann E, Schneider P, Stippich C, Kressig RW, Blatow M. Musicianship-Related Structural and Functional Cortical Features Are Preserved in Elderly Musicians. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:807971. [PMID: 35401149 PMCID: PMC8990841 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.807971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Professional musicians are a model population for exploring basic auditory function, sensorimotor and multisensory integration, and training-induced neuroplasticity. The brain of musicians exhibits distinct structural and functional cortical features; however, little is known about how these features evolve during aging. This multiparametric study aimed to examine the functional and structural neural correlates of lifelong musical practice in elderly professional musicians. Methods Sixteen young musicians, 16 elderly musicians (age >70), and 15 elderly non-musicians participated in the study. We assessed gray matter metrics at the whole-brain and region of interest (ROI) levels using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the Freesurfer automatic segmentation and reconstruction pipeline. We used BrainVoyager semiautomated segmentation to explore individual auditory cortex morphotypes. Furthermore, we evaluated functional blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) activations in auditory and non-auditory regions by functional MRI (fMRI) with an attentive tone-listening task. Finally, we performed discriminant function analyses based on structural and functional ROIs. Results A general reduction of gray matter metrics distinguished the elderly from the young subjects at the whole-brain level, corresponding to widespread natural brain atrophy. Age- and musicianship-dependent structural correlations revealed group-specific differences in several clusters including superior, middle, and inferior frontal as well as perirolandic areas. In addition, the elderly musicians exhibited increased gyrification of auditory cortex like the young musicians. During fMRI, the elderly non-musicians activated predominantly auditory regions, whereas the elderly musicians co-activated a much broader network of auditory association areas, primary and secondary motor areas, and prefrontal and parietal regions like, albeit weaker, the young musicians. Also, group-specific age- and musicianship-dependent functional correlations were observed in the frontal and parietal regions. Moreover, discriminant function analysis could separate groups with high accuracy based on a set of specific structural and functional, mainly temporal and occipital, ROIs. Conclusion In conclusion, despite naturally occurring senescence, the elderly musicians maintained musicianship-specific structural and functional cortical features. The identified structural and functional brain regions, discriminating elderly musicians from non-musicians, might be of relevance for the aging musicians’ brain. To what extent lifelong musical activity may have a neuroprotective impact needs to be addressed further in larger longitudinal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oana G. Rus-Oswald
- Department of Neuroradiology, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- University Department of Geriatric Medicine FELIX PLATTER, Basel, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Oana G. Rus-Oswald,
| | - Jan Benner
- Department of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Jan Benner,
| | - Julia Reinhardt
- Department of Neuroradiology, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Division of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research Institute Basel, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, University Hospital of Basel, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Céline Bürki
- University Department of Geriatric Medicine FELIX PLATTER, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Markus Christiner
- Centre for Systematic Musicology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Vitols Jazeps Latvian Academy of Music, Riga, Latvia
| | - Elke Hofmann
- Academy of Music, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), Basel, Switzerland
| | - Peter Schneider
- Department of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Centre for Systematic Musicology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
- Vitols Jazeps Latvian Academy of Music, Riga, Latvia
| | - Christoph Stippich
- Department of Neuroradiology and Radiology, Kliniken Schmieder, Allensbach, Germany
| | - Reto W. Kressig
- University Department of Geriatric Medicine FELIX PLATTER, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Maria Blatow
- Section of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Neurocenter, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
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6
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Perron M, Theaud G, Descoteaux M, Tremblay P. The frontotemporal organization of the arcuate fasciculus and its relationship with speech perception in young and older amateur singers and non-singers. Hum Brain Mapp 2021; 42:3058-3076. [PMID: 33835629 PMCID: PMC8193549 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to perceive speech in noise (SPiN) declines with age. Although the etiology of SPiN decline is not well understood, accumulating evidence suggests a role for the dorsal speech stream. While age-related decline within the dorsal speech stream would negatively affect SPiN performance, experience-induced neuroplastic changes within the dorsal speech stream could positively affect SPiN performance. Here, we investigated the relationship between SPiN performance and the structure of the arcuate fasciculus (AF), which forms the white matter scaffolding of the dorsal speech stream, in aging singers and non-singers. Forty-three non-singers and 41 singers aged 20 to 87 years old completed a hearing evaluation and a magnetic resonance imaging session that included High Angular Resolution Diffusion Imaging. The groups were matched for sex, age, education, handedness, cognitive level, and musical instrument experience. A subgroup of participants completed syllable discrimination in the noise task. The AF was divided into 10 segments to explore potential local specializations for SPiN. The results show that, in carefully matched groups of singers and non-singers (a) myelin and/or axonal membrane deterioration within the bilateral frontotemporal AF segments are associated with SPiN difficulties in aging singers and non-singers; (b) the structure of the AF is different in singers and non-singers; (c) these differences are not associated with a benefit on SPiN performance for singers. This study clarifies the etiology of SPiN difficulties by supporting the hypothesis for the role of aging of the dorsal speech stream.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Perron
- CERVO Brain Research CenterQuebec CityQuebecCanada
- Département de RéadaptationUniversité Laval, Faculté de MédecineQuebec CityQuebecCanada
| | - Guillaume Theaud
- Sherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Lab (SCIL), Computer Science DepartmentUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
| | - Maxime Descoteaux
- Sherbrooke Connectivity Imaging Lab (SCIL), Computer Science DepartmentUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
| | - Pascale Tremblay
- CERVO Brain Research CenterQuebec CityQuebecCanada
- Département de RéadaptationUniversité Laval, Faculté de MédecineQuebec CityQuebecCanada
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Lumaca M, Baggio G, Vuust P. White matter variability in auditory callosal pathways contributes to variation in the cultural transmission of auditory symbolic systems. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:1943-1959. [PMID: 34050791 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02302-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The cultural transmission of spoken language and music relies on human capacities for encoding and recalling auditory patterns. In this experiment, we show that interindividual differences in this ability are associated with variation in the organization of cross-callosal white matter pathways. First, high-angular resolution diffusion MRI (dMRI) data were analyzed in a large participant sample (N = 51). Subsequently, these participants underwent a behavioral test that models in the laboratory the cultural transmission of auditory symbolic systems: the signaling game. Cross-callosal and intrahemispheric (arcuate fasciculus) pathways were reconstructed and analyzed using conventional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) as well as a more advanced dMRI technique: fixel-based analysis (FBA). The DTI metric of fractional anisotropy (FA) in auditory callosal pathways predicted-weeks after scanning-the fidelity of transmission of an artificial tone system. The ability to coherently transmit auditory signals in one signaling game, irrespective of the signals learned during the previous game, was predicted by morphological properties of the fiber bundles in the most anterior portions of the corpus callosum. The current study is the first application of dMRI in the field of cultural transmission, and the first to connect individual characteristics of callosal pathways to core behaviors in the transmission of auditory symbolic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Lumaca
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and The Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus/Aalborg, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Giosuè Baggio
- Language Acquisition and Language Processing Lab, Department of Language and Literature, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7941, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Peter Vuust
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University and The Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus/Aalborg, 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
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8
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Tremblay SA, Jäger AT, Huck J, Giacosa C, Beram S, Schneider U, Grahl S, Villringer A, Tardif CL, Bazin PL, Steele CJ, Gauthier CJ. White matter microstructural changes in short-term learning of a continuous visuomotor sequence. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:1677-1698. [PMID: 33885965 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02267-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Efficient neural transmission is crucial for optimal brain function, yet the plastic potential of white matter (WM) has long been overlooked. Growing evidence now shows that modifications to axons and myelin occur not only as a result of long-term learning, but also after short training periods. Motor sequence learning (MSL), a common paradigm used to study neuroplasticity, occurs in overlapping learning stages and different neural circuits are involved in each stage. However, most studies investigating short-term WM plasticity have used a pre-post design, in which the temporal dynamics of changes across learning stages cannot be assessed. In this study, we used multiple magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans at 7 T to investigate changes in WM in a group learning a complex visuomotor sequence (LRN) and in a control group (SMP) performing a simple sequence, for five consecutive days. Consistent with behavioral results, where most improvements occurred between the two first days, structural changes in WM were observed only in the early phase of learning (d1-d2), and in overall learning (d1-d5). In LRNs, WM microstructure was altered in the tracts underlying the primary motor and sensorimotor cortices. Moreover, our structural findings in WM were related to changes in functional connectivity, assessed with resting-state functional MRI data in the same cohort, through analyses in regions of interest (ROIs). Significant changes in WM microstructure were found in a ROI underlying the right supplementary motor area. Together, our findings provide evidence for highly dynamic WM plasticity in the sensorimotor network during short-term MSL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéfanie A Tremblay
- Department of Physics/PERFORM Center, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Anna-Thekla Jäger
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.,Charite Universitätsmedizin, Charite, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julia Huck
- Department of Physics/PERFORM Center, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Chiara Giacosa
- Department of Physics/PERFORM Center, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Stephanie Beram
- Department of Physics/PERFORM Center, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Uta Schneider
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sophia Grahl
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Arno Villringer
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.,Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, Leipzig, Germany.,Leipzig University Medical Centre, IFB Adiposity Diseases, Leipzig, Germany.,Collaborative Research Centre 1052-A5, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christine L Tardif
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Pierre-Louis Bazin
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.,Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Christopher J Steele
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Claudine J Gauthier
- Department of Physics/PERFORM Center, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada. .,Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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9
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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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10
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Olszewska AM, Gaca M, Herman AM, Jednoróg K, Marchewka A. How Musical Training Shapes the Adult Brain: Predispositions and Neuroplasticity. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:630829. [PMID: 33776638 PMCID: PMC7987793 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.630829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Learning to play a musical instrument is a complex task that integrates multiple sensory modalities and higher-order cognitive functions. Therefore, musical training is considered a useful framework for the research on training-induced neuroplasticity. However, the classical nature-or-nurture question remains, whether the differences observed between musicians and non-musicians are due to predispositions or result from the training itself. Here we present a review of recent publications with strong focus on experimental designs to better understand both brain reorganization and the neuronal markers of predispositions when learning to play a musical instrument. Cross-sectional studies identified structural and functional differences between the brains of musicians and non-musicians, especially in regions related to motor control and auditory processing. A few longitudinal studies showed functional changes related to training while listening to and producing music, in the motor network and its connectivity with the auditory system, in line with the outcomes of cross-sectional studies. Parallel changes within the motor system and between the motor and auditory systems were revealed for structural connectivity. In addition, potential predictors of musical learning success were found including increased brain activation in the auditory and motor systems during listening, the microstructure of the arcuate fasciculus, and the functional connectivity between the auditory and the motor systems. We show that “the musical brain” is a product of both the natural human neurodiversity and the training practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicja M Olszewska
- Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Gaca
- Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Aleksandra M Herman
- Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Jednoróg
- Laboratory of Language Neurobiology, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Artur Marchewka
- Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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11
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Oechslin MS, Gschwind M, James CE. Tracking Training-Related Plasticity by Combining fMRI and DTI: The Right Hemisphere Ventral Stream Mediates Musical Syntax Processing. Cereb Cortex 2019; 28:1209-1218. [PMID: 28203797 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2015] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
As a functional homolog for left-hemispheric syntax processing in language, neuroimaging studies evidenced involvement of right prefrontal regions in musical syntax processing, of which underlying white matter connectivity remains unexplored so far. In the current experiment, we investigated the underlying pathway architecture in subjects with 3 levels of musical expertise. Employing diffusion tensor imaging tractography, departing from seeds from our previous functional magnetic resonance imaging study on music syntax processing in the same participants, we identified a pathway in the right ventral stream that connects the middle temporal lobe with the inferior frontal cortex via the extreme capsule, and corresponds to the left hemisphere ventral stream, classically attributed to syntax processing in language comprehension. Additional morphometric consistency analyses allowed dissociating tract core from more dispersed fiber portions. Musical expertise related to higher tract consistency of the right ventral stream pathway. Specifically, tract consistency in this pathway predicted the sensitivity for musical syntax violations. We conclude that enduring musical practice sculpts ventral stream architecture. Our results suggest that training-related pathway plasticity facilitates the right hemisphere ventral stream information transfer, supporting an improved sound-to-meaning mapping in music.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias S Oechslin
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Education and Culture of the Canton of Thurgau, CH-8500, Frauenfeld, Switzerland
| | - Markus Gschwind
- Department of Neurology, Geneva University Hospitals, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Neuroscience, Campus Biotech, University of Geneva, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Clara E James
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland.,Geneva Neuroscience Center, University of Geneva, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland.,HES-SO University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland, School of Health Sciences, CH-1206 Geneva, Switzerland
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12
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Li Q, Wang X, Wang S, Xie Y, Li X, Xie Y, Li S. Dynamic reconfiguration of the functional brain network after musical training in young adults. Brain Struct Funct 2019; 224:1781-1795. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-019-01867-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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13
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Karavasilis E, Christidi F, Velonakis G, Giavri Z, Kelekis NL, Efstathopoulos EP, Evdokimidis I, Dellatolas G. Ipsilateral and contralateral cerebro-cerebellar white matter connections: A diffusion tensor imaging study in healthy adults. J Neuroradiol 2019; 46:52-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurad.2018.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2017] [Revised: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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14
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Zhou H, Tang Y, Yuan Z. White matter asymmetries in patients with cerebral small vessel disease. J Integr Neurosci 2018. [DOI: 10.3233/jin-170037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hua Zhou
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410083, P. R. China
- South China Institute of Software Engineering, Guangzhou, 510990, P. R. China
- School of Basic Medical Science Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410083, P. R. China
| | - Yan Tang
- School of Information Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410083, P. R. China
| | - Zhi Yuan
- South China Institute of Software Engineering, Guangzhou, 510990, P. R. China
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15
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Tracting the neural basis of music: Deficient structural connectivity underlying acquired amusia. Cortex 2017; 97:255-273. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2017.09.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Revised: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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16
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McLachlan NM, Wilson SJ. The Contribution of Brainstem and Cerebellar Pathways to Auditory Recognition. Front Psychol 2017; 8:265. [PMID: 28373850 PMCID: PMC5357638 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum has been known to play an important role in motor functions for many years. More recently its role has been expanded to include a range of cognitive and sensory-motor processes, and substantial neuroimaging and clinical evidence now points to cerebellar involvement in most auditory processing tasks. In particular, an increase in the size of the cerebellum over recent human evolution has been attributed in part to the development of speech. Despite this, the auditory cognition literature has largely overlooked afferent auditory connections to the cerebellum that have been implicated in acoustically conditioned reflexes in animals, and could subserve speech and other auditory processing in humans. This review expands our understanding of auditory processing by incorporating cerebellar pathways into the anatomy and functions of the human auditory system. We reason that plasticity in the cerebellar pathways underpins implicit learning of spectrotemporal information necessary for sound and speech recognition. Once learnt, this information automatically recognizes incoming auditory signals and predicts likely subsequent information based on previous experience. Since sound recognition processes involving the brainstem and cerebellum initiate early in auditory processing, learnt information stored in cerebellar memory templates could then support a range of auditory processing functions such as streaming, habituation, the integration of auditory feature information such as pitch, and the recognition of vocal communications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil M. McLachlan
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of MelbourneMelbourne, VIC, Australia
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17
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Tanaka S, Kirino E. Functional Connectivity of the Dorsal Striatum in Female Musicians. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:178. [PMID: 27148025 PMCID: PMC4840250 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2015] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The dorsal striatum (caudate/putamen) is a node of the cortico-striato-pallido-thalamo-cortical (CSPTC) motor circuit, which plays a central role in skilled motor learning, a critical feature of musical performance. The dorsal striatum receives input from a large part of the cerebral cortex, forming a hub in the cortical-subcortical network. This study sought to examine how the functional network of the dorsal striatum differs between musicians and nonmusicians. Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were acquired from female university students majoring in music and nonmusic disciplines. The data were subjected to functional connectivity analysis and graph theoretical analysis. The functional connectivity analysis indicated that compared with nonmusicians, musicians had significantly decreased connectivity between the left putamen and bilateral frontal operculum (FO) and between the left caudate nucleus and cerebellum. The graph theoretical analysis of the entire brain revealed that the degrees, which represent the numbers of connections, of the bilateral putamen were significantly lower in musicians than in nonmusicians. In conclusion, compared with nonmusicians, female musicians have a smaller functional network of the dorsal striatum with decreased connectivity. These data are consistent with previous anatomical studies reporting a reduced volume of the dorsal striatum in musicians and ballet dancers, suggesting that long-term musical training reshapes the functional network of the dorsal striatum to be less extensive or selective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoji Tanaka
- Department of Information and Communication Sciences, Sophia University Tokyo, Japan
| | - Eiji Kirino
- Department of Psychiatry, Juntendo University School of MedicineTokyo, Japan; Juntendo Shizuoka HospitalShizuoka, Japan
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18
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Park IS, Lee YN, Kwon S, Lee NJ, Rhyu IJ. White matter plasticity in the cerebellum of elite basketball athletes. Anat Cell Biol 2015; 48:262-7. [PMID: 26770877 PMCID: PMC4701700 DOI: 10.5115/acb.2015.48.4.262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2015] [Revised: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent neuroimaging studies indicate that learning a novel motor skill induces plastic changes in the brain structures of both gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) that are associated with a specific practice. We previously reported an increased volume of vermian lobules VI-VII (declive, folium, and tuber) in elite basketball athletes who require coordination for dribbling and shooting a ball, which awakened the central role of the cerebellum in motor coordination. However, the precise factor contributing to the increased volume was not determined. In the present study, we compared the volumes of the GM and WM in the sub-regions of the cerebellar vermis based on manual voxel analysis with the ImageJ program. We found significantly larger WM volumes of vermian lobules VI-VII (declive, folium, and tuber) in elite basketball athletes in response to long-term intensive motor learning. We suggest that the larger WM volumes of this region in elite basketball athletes represent a motor learning-induced plastic change, and that the WM of this region likely plays a critical role in coordination. This finding will contribute to gaining a deeper understanding of motor learning-evoked WM plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- In Sung Park
- Department of Liberal Arts and Teaching Profession, Kyungil University, Gyeongsan, Korea
| | - Ye Na Lee
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Soonwook Kwon
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Nam Joon Lee
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Im Joo Rhyu
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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19
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Zhang L, Peng W, Chen J, Hu L. Electrophysiological evidences demonstrating differences in brain functions between nonmusicians and musicians. Sci Rep 2015; 5:13796. [PMID: 26338509 PMCID: PMC4559803 DOI: 10.1038/srep13796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2015] [Accepted: 08/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Long-term music training can improve sensorimotor skills, as playing a musical instrument requires the functional integration of information related to multimodal sensory perception and motor execution. This functional integration often leads to functional reorganization of cerebral cortices, including auditory, visual, and motor areas. Moreover, music appreciation can modulate emotions (e.g., stress relief), and long-term music training can enhance a musician’s self-control and self-evaluation ability. Therefore, the neural processing of music can also be related to certain higher brain cognitive functions. However, evidence demonstrating that long-term music training modulates higher brain functions is surprisingly rare. Here, we aimed to comprehensively explore the neural changes induced by long-term music training by assessing the differences of transient and quasi-steady-state auditory-evoked potentials between nonmusicians and musicians. We observed that compared to nonmusicians, musicians have (1) larger high-frequency steady-state responses, which reflect the auditory information processing within the sensory system, and (2) smaller low-frequency vertex potentials, which reflect higher cognitive information processing within the novelty/saliency detection system. Therefore, we speculate that long-term music training facilitates “bottom-up” auditory information processing in the sensory system and enhances “top-down” cognitive inhibition of the novelty/saliency detection system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education) and School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Weiwei Peng
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education) and School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Li Hu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality (Ministry of Education) and School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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20
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Baer LH, Park MTM, Bailey JA, Chakravarty MM, Li KZH, Penhune VB. Regional cerebellar volumes are related to early musical training and finger tapping performance. Neuroimage 2015; 109:130-9. [PMID: 25583606 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.12.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2014] [Revised: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The cerebellum has been associated with timing on the millisecond scale and with musical rhythm and beat processing. Early musical training (before age 7) is associated with enhanced rhythm synchronization performance and differences in cortical motor areas and the corpus callosum. In the present study, we examined the relationships between regional cerebellar volumes, early musical training, and timing performance. We tested adult musicians and non-musicians on a standard finger tapping task, and extracted cerebellar gray and white matter volumes using a novel multi-atlas automatic segmentation pipeline. We found that early-trained musicians had reduced volume in bilateral cerebellar white matter and right lobules IV, V and VI, compared to late-trained musicians. Strikingly, better timing performance, greater musical experience and an earlier age of start of musical training were associated with smaller cerebellar volumes. Better timing performance was specifically associated with smaller volumes of right lobule VI. Collectively, these findings support the sensitivity of the cerebellum to the age of initiation of musical training and suggest that lobule VI plays a role in timing. The smaller cerebellar volumes associated with musical training and timing performance may be a reflection of more efficiently implemented low-level timing and sensorimotor processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- L H Baer
- Centre for Research in Human Development and Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal H4B 1R6, Canada.
| | - M T M Park
- Kimel Family Translational Imaging-Genetics Laboratory, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College Street, Toronto M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - J A Bailey
- Centre for Research in Human Development and Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - M M Chakravarty
- Kimel Family Translational Imaging-Genetics Laboratory, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College Street, Toronto M5T 1R8, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, 27 King's College Circle, Toronto M5S 1A1, Canada
| | - K Z H Li
- Centre for Research in Human Development and Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - V B Penhune
- Centre for Research in Human Development and Department of Psychology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal H4B 1R6, Canada; International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research, 1430 Mont Royal Boulevard, Montréal H2V 4P3, Canada
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21
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Savic I. Asymmetry of cerebral gray and white matter and structural volumes in relation to sex hormones and chromosomes. Front Neurosci 2014; 8:329. [PMID: 25505869 PMCID: PMC4245480 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2014.00329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2014] [Accepted: 09/28/2014] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Whilst many studies show sex differences in cerebral asymmetry, their mechanisms are still unknown. This report describes the potential impact of sex hormones and sex chromosomes by comparing MR data from 39 male and 47 female controls and 33 men with an extra X-chromosome (47,XXY). Methods: Regional asymmetry in gray and white matter volumes (GMV and WMV) was calculated using voxel based moprhometry (SPM5), by contrasting the unflipped and flipped individual GMV and WMV images. In addition, structural volumes were calculated for the thalamus, caudate, putamen, amygdala, and hippocampus, using the FreeSurfer software. Effects of plasma testosterone and estrogen on the GMV and WMV, as well on the right/left ratios of the subcortical volumes were tested by multi-regression analysis. Results: All three groups showed a leftward asymmetry in the motor cortex and the planum temporale, and a rightward asymmetry of the middle occipital cortex. Both asymmetries were more pronounced in 46,XY males than 46,XX females and 47,XXY males, and were positively correlated with testosterone levels. There was also a rightward asymmetry of the vermis and leftward GMV asymmetry in the cerebellar hemispheres in all groups. Notably, cerebellar asymmetries were larger in 46,XX females and 47,XXY males, but were not related to sex hormone levels. No asymmetry differences between 46,XX females and 47,XXY males, and no overall effects of brain size were detected. Conclusion: The asymmetry in the planum temporale area and the occipital cortex seem related to processes associated with testosterone, whereas the observed cerebellar asymmetries suggest a link with X-chromosome escapee genes. Sex differences in cerebral asymmetry are moderated by sex hormones and X-chromosome genes, in a regionally differentiated manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivanka Savic
- Stockholm Brain Institute, Department of Women's and Children's Health and Neurology Clinic, Karolinska Institute and Karolinska Hospital Stockholm, Sweden
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22
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Probabilistic diffusion tractography reveals improvement of structural network in musicians. PLoS One 2014; 9:e105508. [PMID: 25157896 PMCID: PMC4144874 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Musicians experience a large amount of information transfer and integration of complex sensory, motor, and auditory processes when training and playing musical instruments. Therefore, musicians are a useful model in which to investigate neural adaptations in the brain. Methods Here, based on diffusion-weighted imaging, probabilistic tractography was used to determine the architecture of white matter anatomical networks in musicians and non-musicians. Furthermore, the features of the white matter networks were analyzed using graph theory. Results Small-world properties of the white matter network were observed in both groups. Compared with non-musicians, the musicians exhibited significantly increased connectivity strength in the left and right supplementary motor areas, the left calcarine fissure and surrounding cortex and the right caudate nucleus, as well as a significantly larger weighted clustering coefficient in the right olfactory cortex, the left medial superior frontal gyrus, the right gyrus rectus, the left lingual gyrus, the left supramarginal gyrus, and the right pallidum. Furthermore, there were differences in the node betweenness centrality in several regions. However, no significant differences in topological properties were observed at a global level. Conclusions We illustrated preliminary findings to extend the network level understanding of white matter plasticity in musicians who have had long-term musical training. These structural, network-based findings may indicate that musicians have enhanced information transmission efficiencies in local white matter networks that are related to musical training.
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23
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Can musical training influence brain connectivity? Evidence from diffusion tensor MRI. Brain Sci 2014; 4:405-27. [PMID: 24961769 PMCID: PMC4101485 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci4020405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2014] [Revised: 03/19/2014] [Accepted: 05/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, musicians have been increasingly recruited to investigate grey and white matter neuroplasticity induced by skill acquisition. The development of Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DT-MRI) has allowed more detailed investigation of white matter connections within the brain, addressing questions about the effect of musical training on connectivity between specific brain regions. Here, current DT-MRI analysis techniques are discussed and the available evidence from DT-MRI studies into differences in white matter architecture between musicians and non-musicians is reviewed. Collectively, the existing literature tends to support the hypothesis that musical training can induce changes in cross-hemispheric connections, with significant differences frequently reported in various regions of the corpus callosum of musicians compared with non-musicians. However, differences found in intra-hemispheric fibres have not always been replicated, while findings regarding the internal capsule and corticospinal tracts appear to be contradictory. There is also recent evidence to suggest that variances in white matter structure in non-musicians may correlate with their ability to learn musical skills, offering an alternative explanation for the structural differences observed between musicians and non-musicians. Considering the inconsistencies in the current literature, possible reasons for conflicting results are offered, along with suggestions for future research in this area.
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24
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Mikutta CA, Maissen G, Altorfer A, Strik W, Koenig T. Professional musicians listen differently to music. Neuroscience 2014; 268:102-11. [PMID: 24637097 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2013] [Revised: 03/06/2014] [Accepted: 03/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Experience-based adaptation of emotional responses is an important faculty for cognitive and emotional functioning. Professional musicians represent an ideal model in which to elicit experience-driven changes in the emotional processing domain. The changes of the central representation of emotional arousal due to musical expertise are still largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the electroencephalogram (EEG) correlates of experience-driven changes in the domain of emotional arousal. Therefore, the differences in perceived (subjective arousal via ratings) and physiologically measured (EEG) arousal between amateur and professional musicians were examined. PROCEDURE A total of 15 professional and 19 amateur musicians listened to the first movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's 5th symphony (duration=∼7.4min), during which a continuous 76-channel EEG was recorded. In a second session, the participants evaluated their emotional arousal during listening. In a tonic analysis, we examined the average EEG data over the time course of the music piece. For a phasic analysis, a fast Fourier transform was performed and covariance maps of spectral power were computed in association with the subjective arousal ratings. RESULTS The subjective arousal ratings of the professional musicians were more consistent than those of the amateur musicians. In the tonic EEG analysis, a mid-frontal theta activity was observed in the professionals. In the phasic EEG, the professionals exhibited an increase of posterior alpha, central delta, and beta rhythm during high arousal. DISCUSSION Professionals exhibited different and/or more intense patterns of emotional activation when they listened to the music. The results of the present study underscore the impact of music experience on emotional reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A Mikutta
- University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Bern, Switzerland; Department of Psychology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - G Maissen
- Department of Psychiatric Neurophysiology, University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - A Altorfer
- Department of Psychiatric Neurophysiology, University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - W Strik
- University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - T Koenig
- Department of Psychiatric Neurophysiology, University Hospital of Psychiatry, University of Bern, Switzerland
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Roberts RE, Bain PG, Day BL, Husain M. Individual differences in expert motor coordination associated with white matter microstructure in the cerebellum. Cereb Cortex 2012; 23:2282-92. [PMID: 22892425 PMCID: PMC3767954 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhs219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent investigations into the neural basis of elite sporting performance have focused on whether cortical activity might characterize individual differences in ability. However, very little is understood about how changes in brain structure might contribute to individual differences in expert motor control. We compared the behavior and brain structure of healthy controls with a group of karate black belts, an expert group who are able to perform rapid, complex movements that require years of training. Using 3D motion tracking, we investigated whether the ability to control ballistic arm movements was associated with differences in white matter microstructure. We found that karate experts are better able than novices to coordinate the timing of inter-segmental joint velocities. Diffusion tensor imaging revealed significant differences between the groups in the microstructure of white matter in the superior cerebellar peduncles (SCPs) and primary motor cortex—brain regions that are critical to the voluntary control of movement. Motor coordination, the amount of experience, and the age at which training began were all associated with individual differences in white matter integrity in the cerebellum within the karate groups. These findings suggest a role for the white matter pathways of the SCPs in motor expertise.
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Affiliation(s)
- R E Roberts
- Centre for Neuroscience, Imperial College London, London W6 8RP, UK
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Abstract
To consider the full impact of musical learning on the brain, it is important to study the nature of everyday, non-expert forms of musical behavior alongside expert instrumental training. Such informal forms of music making tend to include social interaction, synchronization, body movements, and positive shared experiences. Here, I propose that when designing music intervention programs for scientific purposes, such features may have advantages over instrumental training, depending on the specific research aims, contexts, and measures. With reference to a selection of classroom approaches to music education and to the shared affective motion experience (SAME) model of emotional responses to music, I conclude that group learning may be particularly valuable in music pedagogy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Overy
- Institute for Music in Human and Social Development, Reid School of Music, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
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