Brain structures differ between musicians and non-musicians.
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From an early age, musicians learn complex motor and auditory skills (e.g., the translation of visually perceived musical symbols into motor commands with simultaneous auditory monitoring of output), which they practice extensively from childhood throughout their entire careers. Using a voxel-by-voxel morphometric technique, we found gray matter volume differences in motor, auditory, and visual-spatial brain regions when comparing professional musicians (keyboard players) with a matched group of amateur musicians and non-musicians. Although some of these multiregional differences could be attributable to innate predisposition, we believe they may represent structural adaptations in response to long-term skill acquisition and the repetitive rehearsal of those skills. This hypothesis is supported by the strong association we found between structural differences, musician status, and practice intensity, as well as the wealth of supporting animal data showing structural changes in response to long-term motor training. However, only future experiments can determine the relative contribution of predisposition and practice. (+info)
Temporary hearing threshold shifts and restitution after energy-equivalent exposures to industrial noise and classical music.
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In order to investigate whether the energy-equivalence principle is at least acceptable for exposures with a duration in the range of hours and in order to disclose the actual physiological responses to exposures which varied with respect to the time structure and the semantic quality of sounds, a series of tests was carried out where physiological costs associated with varying exposures were measured audiometrically. In a cross-over test design, 10 Subjects (Ss) participated in test series with 3 energetically equal sound exposures on different days. The exposures corresponded with a tolerable rating level of 85 dB / 8 h. In a first test series (TS I), the Ss were exposed to a prototype of industrial noise with a sound pressure level of 94 dB(A) / 1 h. In a second test series (TS II), the same type of noise was applied, but the exposure time of a reduced level of 91 dB(A) was increased to 2 hours. In a third test series (TS III), classical music was provided also for 2 h at a mean level of 91 dB(A). The physiological responses to the 3 exposures were recorded audiometrically via the temporary threshold shift TTS2, the restitution time t(0 dB), and the IRTTS-value. IRTTS is the integrated restitution temporary threshold shift which is calculated by the sum of all threshold shifts. It represents the total physiological costs the hearing must "pay" for the sound exposure. Physiological responses of the hearing to the industrial noise exposures in TS I and TS II, all in all, were identical in the 3 parameters. Maximum threshold shifts of approximately 25 dB occurred which did not dissipate completely until 2.5 h after the end of the exposure and IRTTS-values of about 800 dBmin were calculated. Therefore, at least for exposure times in the range of hours, the equilibration of intensity and duration of sound exposures according to the energy-equivalence principle seems to have no influence on the hearing. Classical music was associated with the least severe TTS of less than 10 dB which disappeared much more quickly. IRTTS added up to just about 100 dBmin and, in comparison with 800 dBmin as specific responses to industrial noise, amounted to only about 12%. The substantially lower physiological costs of classical music apparently indicate a decisive influence of the type of sound exposures. Making inferences from the results of the study, the conventional approach of rating sound exposures exclusively by the principle of energy equivalence can lead to gravely misleading assessments of their actual physiological costs. (+info)
The anterior portion of the bilateral temporal lobes participates in music perception: a positron emission tomography study.
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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The mechanism underlying the perception of music has been the subject of study for many years. We investigated the role of the anterior portion of the temporal lobes in the perception of music in nonmusicians by use of positron emission tomography (PET). METHODS: We used the subtraction technique for PET to investigate the role of the anterior portion of the bilateral temporal lobes in music perception. Nonmusicians performed two kinds of musical tasks: harmony listening and soprano part listening. RESULTS: During the harmony-listening task, the anterior portion of the temporal lobes, cingulate gyri, and cerebellum were bilaterally activated. During the soprano part-listening task, the bilateral superior parietal lobules, and the right precuneus were significantly activated. CONCLUSION: The anterior portion of the bilateral temporal lobes is vital in the discrimination of melodies and chords. Differences between activated brain regions exist between musicians and nonmusicians when listening to a particular vocal part of a musical phrase. (+info)
Mapping perception to action in piano practice: a longitudinal DC-EEG study.
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BACKGROUND: Performing music requires fast auditory and motor processing. Regarding professional musicians, recent brain imaging studies have demonstrated that auditory stimulation produces a co-activation of motor areas, whereas silent tapping of musical phrases evokes a co-activation in auditory regions. Whether this is obtained via a specific cerebral relay station is unclear. Furthermore, the time course of plasticity has not yet been addressed. RESULTS: Changes in cortical activation patterns (DC-EEG potentials) induced by short (20 minute) and long term (5 week) piano learning were investigated during auditory and motoric tasks. Two beginner groups were trained. The 'map' group was allowed to learn the standard piano key-to-pitch map. For the 'no-map' group, random assignment of keys to tones prevented such a map. Auditory-sensorimotor EEG co-activity occurred within only 20 minutes. The effect was enhanced after 5-week training, contributing elements of both perception and action to the mental representation of the instrument. The 'map' group demonstrated significant additional activity of right anterior regions. CONCLUSION: We conclude that musical training triggers instant plasticity in the cortex, and that right-hemispheric anterior areas provide an audio-motor interface for the mental representation of the keyboard. (+info)
Occupational groups at risk of voice disorders: a review of the literature.
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BACKGROUND: Occupational voice health is becoming more important as more people rely on their voices for their work. A number of studies have identified certain occupational groups at increased risk of developing occupational voice disorders, namely teachers, singers and aerobics instructors. Aim The paper aims to review the literature on occupational groups at risk of voice disorders and identify areas for future research. METHOD: A literature review of key databases using key words such as 'occupational', 'voice health', 'voice loss', 'dysphonia' and 'work related' was undertaken. RESULTS: The review identified case reports, studies of attendees at hospital voice clinics and a few cross-sectional studies of occupational groups in the workplace. There were no longitudinal studies found or intervention studies looking at reduction of risk. CONCLUSION: Further research on occupational voice disorders needs to be based in the workplace, and to look at the risk factors for the development of voice problems and for the efficacy of controls. (+info)
Transient musical hallucinosis of central origin: a review and clinical study.
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A 52 year old, right handed, hearing impaired woman was admitted with headache and neck stiffness. The only neuropsychological symptom was transient auditory perceptions in the left ear, which were musical, seemed familiar and were not influenced by verbal communication. CT and MRI showed a right subarachnoid haemorrhage, while brainstem auditory evoked potentials failed to reveal a brainstem lesion. In patients with organic cerebral disease, unilateral auditory hallucinations (AHs) may indicate a lesion in the contralateral hemisphere. However, according to this review the type of AHs (verbal versus musical) is not consistently associated with a cerebral lesion on either side. (+info)
The role of the fifth digit in music: discussion paper.
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The increasing digital skill made manifest in the development of instrumental music is reviewed and supports the hypothesis that the fifth digit was belatedly used even when a suitable instrument had already become established. With notable exceptions, such as the harp, it appears that progressive improvements in instrument design was influenced by the need to utilize the fifth digits. Its greater use was accomplished in overlapping stages of increasing dexterity, of which the highest is exemplified by the left hand of the violinist. The apparent evolutional background of these observations is discussed. It is proposed that man has an inherent atavistic tendency to ignore the fifth digit and this view agrees with its neglect in gesture and sign language. (+info)
A critical review of techniques aiming at enhancing and sustaining worker's alertness during the night shift.
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Two types of methods based on a particular principle allow enhancing and sustaining workers' alertness all along their night work. The first one rather consists in arousing workers by exposing them to stimulant environment conditions (light or noise...) or by giving them natural or pharmacological reactivating substances (caffeine or amphetamines...) for example. The second principle consists in increasing workers' possibilities for resting and allowing them to have short sleep periods or Short Rest Periods (SRP) in an adapted area at the workplace. In order to use these techniques in real work situations, after a critical review taking into account both efficiency, advantages and disadvantages but also applicability and acceptability, the SRP technique stands out as the most efficient method as it has a certain number of advantages with regard to our initial objective. (+info)