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
• 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