Structural and functional neural correlates of music perception

Abstract

This review article highlights state-of-the-art functional neuroimaging studies and demonstrates the novel use of music as a tool for the study of human auditory brain structure and function. Music is a unique auditory stimulus with properties that make it a compelling tool with which to study both human behavior and, more specifically, the neural elements involved in the processing of sound. Functional neuroimaging techniques represent a modern and powerful method of investigation into neural structure and functional correlates in the living organism. These methods have demonstrated a close relationship between the neural processing of music and language, both syntactically and semantically. Greater neural activity and increased volume of gray matter in Heschl's gyrus has been associated with musical aptitude. Activation of Broca's area, a region traditionally considered to subserve language, is important in interpreting whether a note is on or off key. The planum temporale shows asymmetries that are associated with the phenomenon of perfect pitch. Functional imaging studies have also demonstrated activation of primitive emotional centers such as ventral striatum, midbrain, amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, and ventral medial prefrontal cortex in listeners of moving musical passages. In addition, studies of melody and rhythm perception have elucidated mechanisms of hemispheric specialization. These studies show the power of music and functional neuroimaging to provide singularly useful tools for the study of brain structure and function. Anat Rec Part 288A: 435-446, 2006. Published 2006

Brain Hemisphericity and Music Performance Level in Undergraduate Music Students and Philharmonic Musicians

“…This finding confirms Limb's (Limb, 2006;Limb et al, 2006;Limb & Braun, 2008) idea of a shift from right to left hemispheric processing in the case of professional musicians compared to non-musicians or amateur musicians. Therefore, while non-musicians tend to process musical stimuli predominantly with the right hemisphere (Schneider et al, 2002;Rauschecker, 2001), professional musicians are more likely to use their left hemisphere during music perception and performance.…”

“…Previous studies Limb, 2006;Limb & Braun, 2008) have suggested that, while non-musicians and amateur musicians tend to use the right hemisphere in melodic and rhythmic music processing, professional musicians process musical stimulus by using predominantly their left hemisphere. The presents study aims to explore this shift from right to left hemisphericity in the case of professional musicians.…”

Music training improves speech-in-noise perception: Longitudinal evidence from a community-based music program

“…The extent to which the specific auditory skills developed through musical experience may transfer to non-musical domains is a matter of continuing debate [14][15][16][17][18], however numerous components of auditory processing that support the perception of speech in noise have been found to be strengthened in musicians, including syllable discrimination [19][20][21] and the processing of temporal speech cues [22][23][24], prosody [25], pitch [26][27][28][29][30] and melodic contour [31]. Further, musicians demonstrate enhanced auditory cognitive function such as working memory [32][33][34] and attention [6,35,36], as well as enhanced neural representation of speech when presented in acoustically-compromised conditions [6,8,9,[37][38][39][40].…”

Neuronal connectivity and interactions between the auditory and limbic systems. Effects of noise and tinnitus

“…Neuroimaging techniques on human subjects have shown that music is processed in several brain regions associated with emotional behavior, including the amygdala (Boso et al, 2006;Limb, 2006). In individuals with William's syndrome, who show increased emotional engagement in musical activities as compared to other individuals, there is an increased activation of the right amygdala when listening to music as compared to age-matched controls (Levitin et al, 2003;Levitin, 2005).…”