Original scientific paper

Changes of Cerebral Hemodynamics During Music Perception: A Functional Transcranial Doppler Study

Sonja Antić
Ulf Jensen
Arijana Lovrenčić-Huzjan
Vlasta Vuković
Roxana Mukhtarova
Sandra Verónica
Ferreira Sáo
Roberto González Treviño
Miljenka-Jelena Jurašić
Silva Santos
Sandra Morović
Vida Demarin

Abstract

Studies have shown that the perception of musical information differs between musically educated and musically non-educated individuals. The aim of the study was to determine the time course and lateralization of changes in mean blood flow velocity (MBFV) in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) during auditory stimulation between musically educated and musically non-educated listeners as well as between sexes. Using transcranial Doppler (TCD), MBFV was assessed in 61 healthy right-handed subjects (18 musical educated and 43 musically non-educated). The ability to play an instrument was considered the minimum criterion for musical education. In both musically educated and non-educated groups, left MCA was activated earlier (p=0.013) and had higher MBFV (p=0.046). In the right MCA, habituation was obtained earlier in musically non-educated than in musically educated group (p=0.019). Female listeners had a shorter activation time of MBFV in the left MCA than in the right MCA (p=0.002), while in males no difference was found. Male listeners had a longer first activation time in the left MCA (p=0.003) and higher first maximal amplitude in the right MCA (p=0.038) than female listeners. Also, the time of activation of MBFV in the left MCA was longer in male than in female listeners (p=0.013). Study results suggest that music perception requires bilateral activation of cerebral hemispheres. The left hemisphere is firstly and predominantly activated regardless of musical education, whereas the right hemisphere is associative and is connected to the experience of music. Results from this study indicated sex differences in the perception. To confirm our preliminary results, further studies involving larger groups are needed.

Keywords

Auditory perception - physiology; Cerebrovascular circulation - physiology; Music; Ultrasonography - Doppler - transcranial

Hrčak ID:

14068

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/14068

Publication date:

1.12.2006.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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