Playing Piano in the Mind – An fMRI study on music imagery and performance in pianists I.G. Meister, T. Krings, H. Foltys, B. Boroojerdi, M. Muller, R. Topper, & A. Thron By Michelle Tamplin

Introduction Music performance: ability to read musical notes and play an instrument simultaneously – Complex motor task – Requires rapid and effective transformation and processing of visual information into complex movements – Takes years of practice

Introduction Looked at brain activation during musical performance and during musical imagery in trained music students Purpose: – to investigate the cortical network which mediates music performance compared to music imagery using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

Subjects 12 students from the Cologne School of Music – 10 female, 2 male (mean age: 26.6 years) Principal instrument: piano Average total musical training: 18.4 years Average practice time: 22 hours/week All right handed

Experimental Task Used a piano keyboard while in fMRI – No metal parts in keyboard (made no sound) Experimental music: – Short piano piece called “Triolak” by Bela Bartok Only right hand notes of music piece were shown on a computer screen

Experimental Task Baseline: scan in fMRI, no task Music Performance Condition: – Played presented piece with right hand on keyboard Music Imagery Condition: – Read music with hand off keyboard – Instructed to imagine themselves playing the piece – Monitored to ensure no hand movement

Results Music Performance minus BaselineMusic Imagery minus Baseline

Results Fronto-parietal cortical network activated: – Primary sensorimotor cortex – Posterior parietal cortex More activation during music performance condition (left) than music imagery condition (right)

Discussion Left Primary Sensorimotor Cortex – Greater activation during music performance than in music imagery – Reflects motor execution

Discussion Bilateral Posterior Parietal Cortex – Greater activation during music performance – Integrates sensory information and processes coordination of body movements within space – Mainly mediates visuomotor transformation Higher activation during performance suggests greater level of visuomotor integration required during motor execution

Strengths and Limitations Strengths: – Good visuals – Analyzed many different brain structures that appear to work together during music performance Limitations: – Few participants, mostly female – All from same school

Opinion Overall interesting paper Confusing – Methods could have been explained better For Future Studies: – Look at students learning to play piano to see if same brain regions are activated

Summary Greater activation in the left primary sensorimotor cortex and bilateral posterior parietal cortex during music performance Greater level of visuomotor integration required during motor execution compared to mental stimulation

Thank You! Questions?