Shared Neural Mechanisms for the Prediction of Own and Partner Musical Sequences after Short-term Piano Duet Training.

Claudia Lappe,Markus Lappe,Christo Pantev,Sabine Bodeck

doi:10.3389/fnins.2017.00165

Abstract

Predictive mechanisms in the human brain can be investigated using markers for prediction violations like the mismatch negativity (MMN). Short-term piano training increases the MMN for melodic and rhythmic deviations in the training material. This increase occurs only when the material is actually played, not when it is only perceived through listening, suggesting that learning predictions about upcoming musical events are derived from motor involvement. However, music is often performed in concert with others. In this case, predictions about upcoming actions from a partner are a crucial part of the performance. In the present experiment, we use magnetoencephalography (MEG) to measure MMNs to deviations in one's own and a partner's musical material after both engaged in musical duet training. Event-related field (ERF) results revealed that the MMN increased significantly for own and partner material suggesting a neural representation of the partner's part in a duet situation. Source analysis using beamforming revealed common activations in auditory, inferior frontal, and parietal areas, similar to previous results for single players, but also a pronounced contribution from the cerebellum. In addition, activation of the precuneus and the medial frontal cortex was observed, presumably related to the need to distinguish between own and partner material.

Highlights

Musical performance is in essence a social conduct
In previous studies on cortical plasticity after short-term musical training we found that only playing, but not mere listening, led to an increased mismatch negativity to the trained material (Lappe et al, 2008, 2011)
In the piano duet situation of the present study, we find in addition neural activation in the precuneus, the medial frontal cortex as well as in the cerebellum in both players

Summary

Introduction

Musical performance is in essence a social conduct It is a prime model for the ability to cooperate and work together toward a common goal. A deeper understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms in musical performance might be acquired by looking at it from the view point of task-sharing neurophysiological experiments (D’Ausilio et al, 2015). Such experiments have suggested that own actions and the observation of other’s actions are functionally represented in the brain (Knoblich and Jordan, 2003; Sebanz et al, 2003; van Schie et al, 2004; Bosbach et al, 2005; de Bruijn et al, 2012).

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