Musicians differ from nonmusicians in brain activation despite performance matching.

Abstract

Brain activation patterns in a group of musicians and a group of nonmusicians (matched in performance score to the musician group) were compared during a pitch memory task using a sparse-temporal sampling functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment. Both groups showed bilateral activaton (left more than right) of the superior temporal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, posterior middle and inferior frontal gyrus, and superior parietal lobe. Musicians showed greater right posterior temporal and supramarginal activation, whereas nonmusicians had greater activation of the left secondary auditory cortex.