Structural, functional, and perceptual differences in Heschl's gyrus and musical instrument preference

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Auditory Perception
• Music Cognition

Background:

• Musical pitch perception relies on fundamental or spectral cues.
• Individual differences in pitch processing exist across musicians and non-musicians.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between brain structure/function asymmetry in Heschl's gyrus (HG) and musical pitch perception preference.
• To determine if this relationship is influenced by musical ability and instrument choice.

Main Methods:

• Categorized 334 professional musicians, 75 amateur musicians, and 54 nonmusicians into fundamental or spectral pitch listeners.
• Utilized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for gray matter volume and magnetoencephalography (MEG) for P50m activity.
• Analyzed asymmetry in the lateral Heschl's gyrus (HG) in relation to pitch perception and instrument preference.

Main Results:

• A strong correlation was found between pitch perception preference and HG asymmetry, regardless of musical ability.
• Fundamental pitch listeners showed larger left lateral HG volume and enhanced activity, preferring percussive/high-pitched instruments.
• Spectral pitch listeners exhibited dominant right lateral HG, preferring sustained-tone melodic instruments.

Conclusions:

• Asymmetry and magnitude of the lateral HG substrate influence pitch perception modes.
• These neural and perceptual differences may impact musical instrument preference and performance.
• Brain structure and function in HG play a crucial role in how musical pitch is perceived and processed.