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Abstract:
Brain locations of mechanisms selectively supporting the
comprehension of musical harmony, melody, and rhythm were mapped
using positron-emission tomography. Nine conductors (Ph.D. faculty)
detected errors in a performance of a Bach chorale as they read its
score. The errors on each PET trial were of one kind: either
rhythmic, harmonic, or melodic. Each condition exhibited distinctly
different activity relative to passive listening control. In the
melody condition, there were very strong activations in
predominantly right temporal areas (fusiform gyrus, BA 39, 22,
21/37, 20) and strong activations in bilateral BA44. There were
strong bilateral, mostly right, activations in posterior vermal
cerebellum, activations in left supramarginal gyrus, and widespread
deactivations in frontal, prefrontal, and posterior and anterior
cingulate cortex. In the harmony condition, there were moderate
bilateral activations in temporal areas, with more on left (BA37,
39, 21, 20, 22 and fusiform gyrus), and bilateral activation in
both dorsolateral BA6 and in BA44. There were also moderate
activations in posterior cerebellar vermis, more left than right,
and activations in left supramarginal gyrus. There were moderate
deactivations in frontal, prefrontal, and posterior and anterior
cingulate cortex. In the rhythm condition, there were very strong
bilateral, mostly right, activations in posterior vermal cerebellum
and moderate bilateral activations in dorsolateral BA6. The
observed activations are discussed in terms of distributed neural
systems subserving music comprehension.
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