Aim Several studies showed that an early music training modifies functional brain structure and enhances connectivity, but little is known about the effects to read a musical sheet on brain plasticity. The aim of this study was to compare visual processing of notes and words in 15 professional musicians and 15 controls while EEGs recorded their visual processing Materials Stimuli comprised 300 words and 300 short (1 measure) music scores that were randomly presented at the center of a PC screen located approximately 114 cm from the viewer's eyes Thirty healthy right-handed participants (18 males and 12 females) were recruited for this experiment. They were matched for cultural status and education level (except for musical expertise) across groups. All had normal or corrected-to-normal vision and reported no history of neurological illness or drug abuse. Half of them were professional musicians with a Conservatory degree in violin, trumpet, clarinet, piano, composition, orchestra conduction. Musicians usually read their music scores in Violin and/or Bass clefs. The mean age of acquisition (AoA) of musical abilities (playing an instrument) for musicians was 8.57 years. The mean age of musicians was 31.7 years (SD= 12), while of control was 26 ys. (SD=69). Non musicians (control group) were totally unable to read musical notation as determined by a note reading test (solfeggio) administered prior to recruitment. People who recognized a single note were not enrolled in the study. Handedness was assessed with the Italian version of the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (Salmaso and Longoni, 1985), a laterality preference questionnaire. All participants reported strong right-handedness and right ocular dominance. Methods In this study 300 Italian words and 300 musical beats were presented for 1600 ms in the central visual field. ERPs were recorded from 128 scalp sites in a group of Italian University students and in a group of professional musicians. Participants had to press a button when they recognized a certain note or letter included (or not) in the musical beats or in the word. Results Letter processing was strongly left lateralized in controls, while the fusiform (BA37) and inferior occipital gyri (BA18) were activated in both hemispheres in musicians during both word and music reading. Discussion The right hemispheric involvement during orthographic reading could be considered a result of music reading ability. Conclusions Our study provided, for the first time, evidence that early acquisition of the ability to read a musical sheet could modifies the cerebral mechanisms involved in the visual word recognition.
THE EFFECTS OF MUSICAL EXPERTISE ON READING SKILLS: AN ERP STUDY
Zani A;
2012-01-01
Abstract
Aim Several studies showed that an early music training modifies functional brain structure and enhances connectivity, but little is known about the effects to read a musical sheet on brain plasticity. The aim of this study was to compare visual processing of notes and words in 15 professional musicians and 15 controls while EEGs recorded their visual processing Materials Stimuli comprised 300 words and 300 short (1 measure) music scores that were randomly presented at the center of a PC screen located approximately 114 cm from the viewer's eyes Thirty healthy right-handed participants (18 males and 12 females) were recruited for this experiment. They were matched for cultural status and education level (except for musical expertise) across groups. All had normal or corrected-to-normal vision and reported no history of neurological illness or drug abuse. Half of them were professional musicians with a Conservatory degree in violin, trumpet, clarinet, piano, composition, orchestra conduction. Musicians usually read their music scores in Violin and/or Bass clefs. The mean age of acquisition (AoA) of musical abilities (playing an instrument) for musicians was 8.57 years. The mean age of musicians was 31.7 years (SD= 12), while of control was 26 ys. (SD=69). Non musicians (control group) were totally unable to read musical notation as determined by a note reading test (solfeggio) administered prior to recruitment. People who recognized a single note were not enrolled in the study. Handedness was assessed with the Italian version of the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory (Salmaso and Longoni, 1985), a laterality preference questionnaire. All participants reported strong right-handedness and right ocular dominance. Methods In this study 300 Italian words and 300 musical beats were presented for 1600 ms in the central visual field. ERPs were recorded from 128 scalp sites in a group of Italian University students and in a group of professional musicians. Participants had to press a button when they recognized a certain note or letter included (or not) in the musical beats or in the word. Results Letter processing was strongly left lateralized in controls, while the fusiform (BA37) and inferior occipital gyri (BA18) were activated in both hemispheres in musicians during both word and music reading. Discussion The right hemispheric involvement during orthographic reading could be considered a result of music reading ability. Conclusions Our study provided, for the first time, evidence that early acquisition of the ability to read a musical sheet could modifies the cerebral mechanisms involved in the visual word recognition.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
