Papers

Peer-reviewed Lead author
Mar 14, 2020

Specialized Somatosensory–Motor Integration Functions in Musicians

Cerebral Cortex
  • Masato Hirano
  • ,
  • Yudai Kimoto
  • ,
  • Shinichi Furuya

Volume
30
Number
3
First page
1148
Last page
1158
Language
Publishing type
Research paper (scientific journal)
DOI
10.1093/cercor/bhz154
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)

<title>Abstract</title>
Somatosensory signals play roles in the fine control of dexterous movements through a somatosensory–motor integration mechanism. While skilled individuals are typically characterized by fine-tuned somatosensory functions and dexterous motor skills, it remains unknown whether and in what manner their bridging mechanism, the tactile–motor and proprioceptive–motor integration functions, plastically changes through extensive sensorimotor experiences. Here, we addressed this issue by comparing physiological indices of these functions between pianists and nonmusicians. Both tactile and proprioceptive stimuli to the right index finger inhibited corticospinal excitability measured by a transcranial magnetic stimulation method. However, the tactile and proprioceptive stimuli exerted weaker and stronger inhibitory effects, respectively, on corticospinal excitability in pianists than in nonmusicians. The results of the electroencephalogram measurements revealed no significant group difference in the amplitude of cortical responses to the somatosensory stimuli around the motor and somatosensory cortices, suggesting that the group difference in the inhibitory effects reflects neuroplastic adaptation of the somatosensory–motor integration functions in pianists. Penalized regression analyses further revealed an association between these integration functions and motor performance in the pianists, suggesting that extensive piano practice reorganizes somatosensory–motor integration functions so as to enable fine control of dexterous finger movements during piano performances.

Link information
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhz154
PubMed
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31342056
URL
http://academic.oup.com/cercor/article-pdf/30/3/1148/33011553/bhz154.pdf
ID information
  • DOI : 10.1093/cercor/bhz154
  • ISSN : 1047-3211
  • eISSN : 1460-2199
  • Pubmed ID : 31342056

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