Modeling Temporal Lobe Epilepsy during Music Large-Scale Form Perception Using the Impulse Pattern Formulation (IPF) Brain Model

Abstract

Musical large-scale form is investigated using an electronic dance music piece fed into a Finite-Difference Time-Domain physical model of the cochlea, which again is input into an Impulse Pattern Formulation (IPF) Brain model. In previous studies, experimental EEG data showed an enhanced correlation between brain synchronization and the musical piece’s amplitude and fractal correlation dimension, representing musical tension and expectancy time points within the large-scale form of musical pieces. This is also in good agreement with a FitzHugh–Nagumo oscillator model.However, this model cannot display temporal developments in large-scale forms. The IPF Brain model shows a high correlation between cochlea input and brain synchronization at the gamma band range around 50 Hz, and also a strong negative correlation with low frequencies, associated with musical rhythm, during time frames with low cochlea input amplitudes. Such a high synchronization corresponds to temporal lobe epilepsy, often associated with creativity or spirituality. Therefore, the IPF Brain model results suggest that these conscious states occur at times of low external input at low frequencies, where isochronous musical rhythms are present.