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Music Playing and Interhemispheric Communication: Older Professional Musicians Outperform Age-Matched Non-Musicians in Fingertip Cross-Localization Test

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 September 2020

Massimo Piccirilli*
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
Maria Teresa Palermo
Affiliation:
Music Therapist, Palliative Care, Antea Hospice, Campus Bio-Medico University Hospital, Roma, Italy
Alessandro Germani
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy, Social Sciences and Education, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
Maria Laura Bertoli
Affiliation:
Music Therapist, Milano, Italy
Viola Ancarani
Affiliation:
Degree Course in Speech and Language Therapy, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
Livia Buratta
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy, Social Sciences and Education, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
Maria Stefania Dioguardi
Affiliation:
Department of Neuroscience, “Santa Maria” Hospital, Terni, Italy
Laura Scarponi
Affiliation:
ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Psychiatry Unit 1, Bergamo Hospital, Bergamo, Italy
Patrizia D’Alessandro
Affiliation:
Neurologist, Perugia, Italy
*
*Correspondence and reprint requests to: Prof Massimo Piccirilli, Via Sicilia 39 06128Perugia, Italy. Email: massimo.piccirilli@unipg.it; piccirilli.massimo@gmail.com

Abstract

Objective:

Numerous investigations have documented that age-related changes in the integrity of the corpus callosum are associated with age-related decline in the interhemispheric transfer of information. Conversely, there is accumulating evidence for more efficient white matter organization of the corpus callosum in individuals with extensive musical training. However, the relationship between making music and accuracy in interhemispheric transfer remains poorly explored.

Methods:

To test the hypothesis that musicians show enhanced functional connectivity between the two hemispheres, 65 professional musicians (aged 56–90 years) and 65 age- and sex-matched non-musicians performed the fingertip cross-localization test. In this task, subjects must respond to a tactile stimulus presented to one hand using the ipsilateral (intra-hemispheric test) or contralateral (inter-hemispheric test) hand. Because the transfer of information from one hemisphere to another may imply a loss of accuracy, the value of the difference between the intrahemispheric and interhemispheric tests can be utilized as a reliable measure of the effectiveness of hemispheric interactions.

Results:

Older professional musicians show significantly greater accuracy in tactile interhemispheric transfer than non-musicians who suffer from age-related decline.

Conclusions:

Musicians have more efficient interhemispheric communication than age-matched non-musicians. This finding is in keeping with studies showing that individuals with extensive musical training have a larger corpus callosum. The results are discussed in relation to relevant data suggesting that music positively influences aging brain plasticity.

Type
Regular Research
Copyright
Copyright © INS. Published by Cambridge University Press, 2020

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