EEG alpha asymmetry in musicians and non-musicians: A study of hemispheric specialization

Hirshkowitz, Max; Earle, Jonathan B.B.; Paley, Bruce

doi:10.1016/0028-3932(78)90052-0

Cited by 109 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Individual differences in alpha frequency and the alpha symmetry have been reported by many others, but our results are not consistent with the recent report that right-handers have more alpha (percentage time that alpha is present) over the right hemisphere (Hirshkowitz, Earle, & Paley, 1978). Perhaps total alpha power and percentage incidence are not always correlated.…”

Section: N Europhysiologicai Significancecontrasting

confidence: 99%

Hemispheric lateralization and handedness correlation of human evoked “steady-state” responses to patterned visual stimuli

Klemm¹,

Gibbons²,

Allen³

et al. 1980

Psychobiology

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We studied "steady-state" visual evoked potentials (VEPs) in 10 adult males (5 of whom were left-handed), using an alternating vertical-bar-pattern monocular stimulus in which the bar positions reversed at rates of 6,11, and 16 Hz. VEPs from electrodes over each hemisphere and midline were computer-averaged over 2 min and the average then subjected to spectral (Fourier) analyses. The stimulus reversals were square-wave regulated, and all subjects responded with near sine-wave spectral components (fundamental and some harmonics) at the corresponding reversal frequencies. Each subject developed larger responses at one of the stimulus frequencies (usually 6 Hz). Response magnitude at either the fundamental or harmonics of the stimulus frequency varied greatly across subjects. One of the specific hypotheses tested was that larger VEPs should develop after stimulation of the dominant eye; this could not be demonstrated. Two other hypotheses were verified: (1) VEPs should be lateralized and should correlate with handedness, and (2) some of the response received in a given hemisphere is physiologically relayed to the other hemisphere, and this occurs in both directions. Hemispheric lateralization occurred most clearly at each subject's optimum frequency. The "dominant" hemisphere for this kind of stimulus was always in the left hemisphere for the five right-handed subjects and in the right hemisphere for four of the left-handed subjects (the other left-hander had marked left-hemisphere dominance and also several right-handed behaviors).

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Section: N Europhysiologicai Significancecontrasting

confidence: 99%

Hemispheric lateralization and handedness correlation of human evoked “steady-state” responses to patterned visual stimuli

Klemm¹,

Gibbons²,

Allen³

et al. 1980

Psychobiology

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“…On the other hand, there has been no specific evidence for the left hemispheric advantages in musicians' MMN with respect to tonal violation processing. In general, hemispheric asymmetry in musicians has been demonstrated to be leftlateralized in behavior (Burton, Morton, & Abbess, 1989;Johnson, 1977;Bever & Chiarello, 1974), alpha rhythm in electroencephalogram (EEG) (Hirshkowitz, Earle, & Paley, 1978), in cerebral blood flow velocity (Evers, Dannert, Rödding, Rotter, & Ringelstein, 1999), and The group scores were statistically examined by t-tests whether the performance was above chance level (50%). The significance level is indicated by the asterisk (*p < .05, **p < .01, and ***p < .0001).…”

Section: Mmnm In Musicians Versus Nonmusiciansmentioning

confidence: 99%

Automatic Encoding of Polyphonic Melodies in Musicians and Nonmusicians

Fujioka

Trainor

Roß

et al. 2005

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience

166

126

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Abstract& In music, multiple musical objects often overlap in time. Western polyphonic music contains multiple simultaneous melodic lines (referred to as ''voices'') of equal importance. Previous electrophysiological studies have shown that pitch changes in a single melody are automatically encoded in memory traces, as indexed by mismatch negativity (MMN) and its magnetic counterpart (MMNm), and that this encoding process is enhanced by musical experience. In the present study, we examined whether two simultaneous melodies in polyphonic music are represented as separate entities in the auditory memory trace. Musicians and untrained controls were tested in both magnetoencephalogram and behavioral sessions. Polyphonic stimuli were created by combining two melodies (A and B), each consisting of the same five notes but in a different order. Melody A was in the high voice and Melody B in the low voice in one condition, and this was reversed in the other condition. On 50% of trials, a deviant final (5th) note was played either in the high or in the low voice, and it either went outside the key of the melody or remained within the key. These four deviations occurred with equal probability of 12.5% each. Clear MMNm was obtained for most changes in both groups, despite the 50% deviance level, with a larger amplitude in musicians than in controls. The response pattern was consistent across groups, with larger MMNm for deviants in the high voice than in the low voice, and larger MMNm for in-key than out-of-key changes, despite better behavioral performance for out-of-key changes. The results suggest that melodic information in each voice in polyphonic music is encoded in the sensory memory trace, that the higher voice is more salient than the lower, and that tonality may be processed primarily at cognitive stages subsequent to MMN generation. &

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“…The melodies utilised in this study were simple and may explain the lack of effect of musical experience or training on cerebral asymmetry (Bever & Chiarello, 1974;Davidson & Schwartz, 1977;Gordon, 1983;Hishkowitz, Earle, & Paley, 1978;Johnson, 1977;Matteis et al, 1997;Mazziotta, Phelps, Carson, & Kuhl, 1982;Messerli, Pegna, & Sordet, 1995;Schweiger & Maltzman, 1985;Sergent et al, 1992;Vollmer-Haase et al, 1998;Wagner & Hannon, 1981).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

A paradox in the laterality of melody processing

Lim¹,

Lambert²,

Hamm³

2001

Laterality

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Melody lateralisation has been examined extensively, using well known behavioural techniques-dichotic/monaural listening and dual tasks. The literature using these techniques has produced paradoxical results for the lateralisation of melody processing particularly with non-musicians. Research using the dichotic/monaural listening paradigm suggests right hemisphere processing for non-musicians while the dual task paradigm has suggested a left hemisphere dominance. The current study utilises both monaural listening and dual task techniques within trials. The results replicated the paradox in the literature. The dichotic/monaural listening melody measure (d 0 ) suggest right hemisphere processing of melodies for both musicians and non-musicians. In contrast, the dual task measure suggests left hemisphere processing for the non-musicians and bilateral processing for the musicians. Both measures were collected from the same stimulus presentations and are therefore paradoxical particularly for the non-musicians. Irrespective of which task participants are primarily attending, both laterality measures should produce internally consistent patterns if they are measuring the same aspects of melody processing. Although the paradox for the musicians may be resolved by postulating an attentional bias towards the tapping task, no such explanation is possible for the non-musicians. In light of the paradoxical findings produced by these two measures, their utility for providing unambiguous information about lateralisation of mental processing is questionable.

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EEG alpha asymmetry in musicians and non-musicians: A study of hemispheric specialization

Cited by 109 publications

References 8 publications

Hemispheric lateralization and handedness correlation of human evoked “steady-state” responses to patterned visual stimuli

Hemispheric lateralization and handedness correlation of human evoked “steady-state” responses to patterned visual stimuli

Automatic Encoding of Polyphonic Melodies in Musicians and Nonmusicians

A paradox in the laterality of melody processing

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