Our musical brain: Uncovering the neurophysical activation mechanism behind human perception of acoustics

Abstract

If, in fact, neuronal activity patterns in the brain are dominantly driven by external forces and environmental stimuli (Hasson et al. 2004), rather than individual variation, music, and certain musical features, should elicit directly correlated neuronal responses across specific structures of the brain—effects as strong as that examination and analysis of brain activity in one subject could accurately predict activations in another (brain). Importantly, locating areal responses and activity patterns to musical stimulation could uncover novel information as to brain network functions, as well as yield insight into the neural foundations of the creative mind. Subjects, comprised of highly trained (HT) classical musicians (St. Louis Symphony) undergo functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) scanning to map neuronal activity triggered by intervals of music (Haydn Symphony No. 3), silence, and noise. Observed activation included the auditory, posterior cingulate, and visual cortices. The posterior cingulate cortex, a central node in the brain’s Default Mode Network, has been strongly implicated in associations with episodic memory retrieval, working memory performance, human awareness, and several intrinsic control networks. The visual cortex is responsible for processing visual information; such activation may affirm the neuro-physical manifestation of HT performers’ staple sensualization of music—music experienced as color, flavor, feeling, mood, etc.