PEOPLE@HES-SO Directory and Skills inventory

Summary:

Little is known about the simultaneous effects of non-pharmacological interventions (NPI) on healthy older adults' behavior and brain plasticity, as measured by psychometric instruments and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The purpose of this scoping review was to compile an extensive list of randomized controlled trials published from January 1, 2000, to August 31, 2023, of NPI for mitigating and countervailing age-related physical and cognitive decline and associated cerebral degeneration in healthy elderly populations with a mean age of 55 and over. After inventorying the NPI that met our criteria, we divided them into six classes: single-domain cognitive, multi-domain cognitive, physical aerobic, physical non-aerobic, combined cognitive and physical aerobic, and combined cognitive and physical non-aerobic. The ultimate purpose of these NPI was to enhance individual autonomy and well-being by bolstering functional capacity that might transfer to activities of daily living. The insights from this study can be a starting point for new research and inform social, public health, and economic policies. The PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist served as the framework for this scoping review, which includes 70 studies. Results indicate that medium- and long-term interventions combining non-aerobic physical exercise and multi-domain cognitive interventions best stimulate neuroplasticity and protect against age-related decline and that outcomes may transfer to activities of daily living.

Cognitive enrichment through art :

Scientific paper ArODES

a randomized controlled trial on the effect of music or visual arts group practice on cognitive and brain development of young children

Clara Eline James, Maxim Tingaud, Laera Gianvito, Carole Guedj, Sascha Zuber, Raffaello Diambrini Palazzi, Stoja Vukovic, Jonas Richiardi, Matthias Kliegel, Marie Damien

BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2024, 24, 141

Summary:

Background : The optimal stimulation for brain development in the early academic years remains unclear. Current research suggests that musical training has a more profound impact on children's executive functions (EF) compared to other art forms. What is crucially lacking is a large-scale, long-term genuine randomized controlled trial (RCT) in cognitive neuroscience, comparing musical instrumental training (MIP) to another art form, and a control group (CG). This study aims to fill this gap by using machine learning to develop a multivariate model that tracks the interconnected brain and EF development during the academic years, with or without music or other art training. Methods : The study plans to enroll 150 children aged 6-8 years and randomly assign them to three groups: Orchestra in Class (OC), Visual Arts (VA), and a control group (CG). Anticipating a 30% attrition rate, each group aims to retain at least 35 participants. The research consists of three analytical stages: 1) baseline analysis correlating EF, brain data, age, gender, and socioeconomic status, 2) comparison between groups and over time of EF brain and behavioral development and their interactions, including hypothesis testing, and 3) exploratory analysis combining behavioral and brain data. The intervention includes intensive art classes once a week, and incremental home training over two years, with the CG receiving six annual cultural outings. Discussion : This study examines the potential benefits of intensive group arts education, especially contrasting music with visual arts, on EF development in children. It will investigate how artistic enrichment potentially influences the presumed typical transition from a more unified to a more multifaceted EF structure around age eight, comparing these findings against a minimally enriched active control group. This research could significantly influence the incorporation of intensive art interventions in standard curricula.

2023

Increased functional connectivity in the right dorsal auditory stream after a full year of piano training in healthy older adults

Scientific paper ArODES

Kristin Jünemann, Anna Engels, Damien Marie, Florian Worschech, Daniel S. Scholz, Frédéric Grouiller, Matthias Kliegel, Dimitri Van De Ville, Eckart Altenmüller, Tillmann H.C. Krüger, Clara Eline James, Christopher Sinke

Scientific reports, 13, 19993

Summary:

Learning to play an instrument at an advanced age may help to counteract or slow down age-related cognitive decline. However, studies investigating the neural underpinnings of these effects are still scarce. One way to investigate the effects of brain plasticity is using resting-state functional connectivity (FC). The current study compared the effects of learning to play the piano (PP) against participating in music listening/musical culture (MC) lessons on FC in 109 healthy older adults. Participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging at three time points: at baseline, and after 6 and 12 months of interventions. Analyses revealed piano training-specific FC changes after 12 months of training. These include FC increase between right Heschl’s gyrus (HG), and other right dorsal auditory stream regions. In addition, PP showed an increased anticorrelation between right HG and dorsal posterior cingulate cortex and FC increase between the right motor hand area and a bilateral network of predominantly motor-related brain regions, which positively correlated with fine motor dexterity improvements. We suggest to interpret those results as increased network efficiency for auditory-motor integration. The fact that functional neuroplasticity can be induced by piano training in healthy older adults opens new pathways to countervail age related decline.

Identifying physical and psychological risk factors for musculoskeletal pain in student musicians to tailor the curriculum :

Scientific paper ArODES

a cross-sectional study protocol

Clara Eline James, Audrey Schmid, Dung Anh Nguyen-Danse, Anne-Violette Bruyneel

BMJ Open, July 2023, vol. 13, no. 8, article e073294

Summary:

Introduction Insufficient identification and understanding of risk factors make musicians engaging in professional practice particularly vulnerable to musculoskeletal pain. To support positive music learning and good mental, physical, and social health, student musicians need health support tailored to their needs and their instrumental practice. However, these preventive actions must be based on sound scientific approaches that reliably identify the most relevant risk factors. MuSa is a cross-sectional study examining contextual and internal risk variables associated with playing-related musculoskeletal disorders in student musicians. Method and analysis : The design is a monocentric cross-sectional study involving student musicians in Bachelor’s 1, 2, 3 and Master’s 1, 2. Free-form questions will identify students’ lifestyle characteristics and work habits, and validated questionnaires will evaluate the interaction between pain due to music practice and psychological and physical risk factors. All data will first be analysed descriptively. Psychological network analysis will be used to explore the overall correlational structure of the dataset. A subgroup comparative analysis will be then applied according to the instrumental subcategories and work postures, including singers.

Music interventions in 132 healthy older adults enhance cerebellar grey matter and auditory working memory, despite general brain atrophy

Scientific paper ArODES

Damien Marie, Cécile A.H. Müller, Eckart Altenmüller, Dimitri Van De Ville, Kristin Jünemann, Daniel S. Scholz, Tillmann H.C. Krüger, Florian Worschech, Matthias Kliegel, Christopher Sinke, Clara Eline James

Neuroimage: reports, June 2023, vol. 3, no. 2, article 100166

Summary:

Normal aging is associated with brain atrophy and cognitive decline. Working memory, involved in cognitive functioning and daily living, is particularly affected. Music training gained momentum in research on brain plasticity and possible transfer effects of interventions on working memory, especially in the context of healthy aging. This longitudinal voxel-based morphometry study evaluated effects of 6-month music interventions on grey matter volume plasticity and auditory working memory performance in 132 healthy older adults. This study is part of a randomized controlled trial comparing two interventions: piano practice (experimental group) and musical culture (musical listening awareness, active control). We report significant grey matter volume increase at whole-brain level in the caudate nucleus, Rolandic operculum and inferior cerebellum when merging both groups, but no group differences. Cerebellar grey matter increase, training intensity metrics and sleep were positively associated with tonal working memory improvement. Digit Span Backward verbal working memory performance also increased. Using region of interest analyses, we showed a group difference in the right primary auditory cortex grey matter volume, decreasing in the musical group while staying stable in the piano group. In contrast, a significant 6-month whole-brain atrophy pattern consistent with longer-term investigations of the aging brain was revealed. We argue that education for seniors should become a major policy priority in the framework of healthy aging, to promote brain plasticity and cognitive reserve, through stimulating group interventions such as music-making and active listening.

Fine motor control improves in older adults after one year of piano lessons :

Scientific paper ArODES

analysis of individual development and its coupling with cognition and brain structure

Florian Worschech, Clara Eline James, Kristin Jünemann, Christopher Sinke, Tillmann H.C. Krüger, Daniel S. Scholz, Matthias Kliegel, Damien Marie, Eckart Altenmüller

European journal of neuroscience, June 2023, vol. 57, no. 12, pp. 2040-2061

Summary:

Musical training can improve fine motor skills, cognitive abilities and induce macrostructural brain changes. However, it is not clear whether the changes in motor skills occur simultaneously with changes in cognitive and neurophysiological parameters. In this study, 156 healthy, musically naïve, and right-handed older adults were recruited and randomly assigned to a piano training or a music listening group. Before, after six and twelve months participants were scanned using MRI and assessed for fine motor skills, auditory working memory and processing speed. A Bayesian multilevel modeling approach was used to examine behavioral and neurophysiological group differences. The relationships between motor and cognitive and between motor and neurophysiological parameters were determined using latent change score models. Compared to music listening, practicing piano resulted in greater improvement in fine motor skills and probably working memory. Only in the piano group, unimanual fine motor skills and gray matter volume of the contralateral M1 changed together during the 6–12-month period. Additionally, M1 co-developed with ipsilateral putamen and thalamus. Playing piano induced more prevalent coupling between the motor and cognitive domain. However, there is little evidence that fine motor control develops concurrently with cognitive functions. Playing an instrument promotes motor, cognitive and neural development into older age. During the learning process, the consolidation of piano skills appears to take place in sensorimotor networks, enabling musicians to perform untrained motor tasks with higher acuity. Relationships between the development of motor acuity and cognition were bidirectional and can be explained by a common cause as well as by shared resources with compensatory mechanisms.

Musical and psychomotor interventions for cognitive, sensorimotor, and cerebral decline in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (COPE) :

Scientific paper ArODES

a study protocol for a multicentric randomized controlled study

Clara Eline James, Cyrille Stucker, Chantal Junker-Tschopp, A. M. Fernandes, Aurélie Revol, ID. Mili, Matthias Kliegel, G. B. Frisoni, A. Brioschi Guevara, Damien Marie

BMC geriatrics, 2023, vol. 23, no. 1, article 76

Summary:

Background : Regular cognitive training can boost or maintain cognitive and brain functions known to decline with age. Most studies administered such cognitive training on a computer and in a lab setting. However, everyday life activities, like musical practice or physical exercise that are complex and variable, might be more successful at inducing transfer effects to different cognitive domains and maintaining motivation. "Body-mind exercises", like Tai Chi or psychomotor exercise, may also positively affect cognitive functioning in the elderly. We will compare the influence of active music practice and psychomotor training over 6 months in Mild Cognitive Impairment patients from university hospital memory clinics on cognitive and sensorimotor performance and brain plasticity. The acronym of the study is COPE (Countervail cOgnitive imPairmEnt), illustrating the aim of the study: learning to better "cope" with cognitive decline. Methods : We aim to conduct a randomized controlled multicenter intervention study on 32 Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) patients (60–80 years), divided over 2 experimental groups: 1) Music practice; 2) Psychomotor treatment. Controls will consist of a passive test–retest group of 16 age, gender and education level matched healthy volunteers. The training regimens take place twice a week for 45 min over 6 months in small groups, provided by professionals, and patients should exercise daily at home. Data collection takes place at baseline (before the interventions), 3, and 6 months after training onset, on cognitive and sensorimotor capacities, subjective well-being, daily living activities, and via functional and structural neuroimaging. Considering the current constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, recruitment and data collection takes place in 3 waves. Discussion : We will investigate whether musical practice contrasted to psychomotor exercise in small groups can improve cognitive, sensorimotor and brain functioning in MCI patients, and therefore provoke specific benefits for their daily life functioning and well-being.

2022

Neuroscience and new music :

Book ArODES

assessing behavioral and cerebral aspects of its perception, cognition, induction, and entrainment

Thomas Lundy, Clara Eline James, Mark Reybrouck

2022, Switzerland : Frontiers, 131 p.

Summary:

This Research Topic encompasses the application of neuroimaging techniques to investigate the processing of New Music in people with different degrees of musical expertise and to investigate the relationships between behavioral and brain responses. It covers three major themes: the demarcation of New Music, with an emphasis on the synthesis and modification of musical sound and musical syntax or lack thereof, the actual processing of New Music, with a distinction between perception, cognition, induction, and entrainment, and the neural correlates of these levels of processing and the neuroimaging techniques for their assessment.

Editorial :

Professional paper ArODES

neuroscience and new music : assessing behavioral and cerebral aspects of its perception, cognition, induction, and entrainment

Thomas Lundy, Clara James, Mark Reybrouck

Frontiers in psychology, 2022, vol. 13, article 979570

La pratique musicale, un outil pour stimuler le développement cognitif, sensorimoteur et cérébral tout au long de la vie :

Book chapter ArODES

le cas du vieillissement normal

Clara Eline James, Damien Marie

Dans Brun, Vincent, Jourdan, Claire, Samson, Séverine, Tillmann, Barbara, Audition et cognition (pp. 141-154). 2022, France : Sauramps Médical

Evidence of cortical thickness increases in bilateral auditory brain structures following piano learning in older adults

Scientific paper ArODES

Florian Worschech, Eckart Altenmüller, Kristin Jünemann, Christopher Sinke, Tillmann H.C. Krüger, Daniel S. Scholz, Cécile A. H. Müller, Matthias Kliegel, Clara Eline James, Damien Marie

Annals of the New York academy of sciences, 2022, vol. 1513, no. 1, pp. 21-30

Summary:

Morphological differences in the auditory brain of musicians compared to nonmusicians are often associated with life-long musical activity. Cross-sectional studies, however, do not allow for any causal inferences, and most experimental studies testing music-driven adaptations investigated children. Although the importance of the age at which musical training begins is widely recognized to impact neuroplasticity, there have been few longitudinal studies examining music-related changes in the brains of older adults. Using magnetic resonance imaging, we measured cortical thickness (CT) of 12 auditory-related regions of interest before and after 6 months of musical instruction in 134 healthy, right-handed, normal-hearing, musically-naive older adults (64–76 years old). Prior to the study, all participants were randomly assigned to either piano training or to a musical culture/music listening group. In five regions—left Heschl's gyrus, left planum polare, bilateral superior temporal sulcus, and right Heschl's sulcus—we found an increase in CT in the piano training group compared with the musical culture group. Furthermore, CT of the right Heschl's gyrus could be identified as a morphological substrate supporting speech in noise perception. The results support the conclusion that playing an instrument is an effective stimulator for cortical plasticity, even in older adults.

Six months of piano training in healthy elderly stabilizes white matter microstructure in the fornix, compared to an active control group

Scientific paper ArODES

Kristin Jünemann, Damien Marie, Florian Worschech, Daniel S. Scholz, Frédéric Grouiller, Matthias Kliegel, Dimitri Van De Ville, Clara Eline James, Tillmann H.C. Krüger, Eckart Altenmüller, Christopher Sinke

Frontiers in aging neuroscience, 2022, vol. 14, article 817889

Summary:

While aging is characterized by neurodegeneration, musical training is associated with experience-driven brain plasticity and protection against age-related cognitive decline. However, evidence for the positive effects of musical training mostly comes from cross-sectional studies while randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes are rare. The current study compares the influence of six months of piano training with music listening/musical culture lessons in 121 musically naïve healthy elderly individuals with regard to white matter properties using fixel-based analysis. Analyses revealed a significant fiber density decline in the music listening/musical culture group (but not in the piano group), after six months, in the fornix, which is a white matter tract that naturally declines with age. In addition, these changes in fiber density positively correlated to episodic memory task performances and the amount of weekly piano training. These findings not only provide further evidence for the involvement of the fornix in episodic memory encoding but also more importantly show that learning to play the piano at an advanced age may stabilize white matter microstructure of the fornix.

2021

Orchestre en classe :

Professional paper ArODES

un programme sur le développement cognitif et sensorimoteur de l'enfant

Clara Eline James, Sascha Zuber, Elise Dupuis Lozeron, Laura Abdili, Diane Gervaise, Matthias Kliegel

Educateur, 2021, vol. 10, pp. 30-31

Summary:

Cette étude longitudinale sur deux ans a permis de comparer, à travers des tests standardisés, le développement cognitif et sensorimoteur de deux groupes d'enfants scolarisé-es au sein d'une école publique genevoise (10-11 ans). Un a suivi le programme Orchestre en Classe et l'autre a suivi des cours de musique standards en Suisse romande, d'une même durée et fréquence. Les cours standards consistent en une sensibilisation à la musique par l'écoute, par le chant et par le jeu ponctuel d'instruments de musique simples (percussion, flute à bec).

S'épanouir à l'école :

Book chapter ArODES

programme "orchestre en classe"

Clara Eline James

Dans Mateo, Pascal, Orchestre à l'école : cent mille et une histoires (pp. 84-85). 2021, France : Alternatives

Improved speech in noise perception in the elderly after six months of musical instruction

Scientific paper ArODES

Florian Worschech, Damien Marie, Kristin Jünemann, Christopher Sinke, Tillmann H.C. Krüger, Michael Grossbach, Daniel S. Scholz, Laura Abdili, Matthias Kliegel, Clara Eline James, Eckart Altenmüller

Frontiers in neuroscience, 2021, vol. 15, article 696240

Summary:

Understanding speech in background noise poses a challenge in daily communication, which is a particular problem among the elderly. Although musical expertise has often been suggested to be a contributor of speech intelligibility, the associations are mostly correlative. In the present multisite study conducted in Germany and Switzerland, 156 healthy, normal-hearing elderly were randomly assigned to either piano playing or physically music listening/musical culture groups. The speech reception threshold was assessed using the International Matrix Test before and after a six months intervention. Bayesian multilevel modeling revealed an improvement of both groups over time under binaural conditions. Additionally, the speech reception threshold of the piano group decreased during stimuli presentation to the left ear. A right ear improvement only occurred in the German piano group. Furthermore, improvements were predominantly found in women. These findings are discussed in the light of current neuroscientific theories on hemispheric lateralization and biological sex differences. The study indicates a positive transfer from musical training to speech processing, probably supported by the enhancement of auditory processing and improvement of general cognitive functions.

2020

How musicality, cognition and sensorimotor skills relate in musically untrained children

Scientific paper ArODES

Clara Eline James, Sascha Zuber, Elise Dupuis Lozeron, Laura Abdili, Diane Gervaise, Matthias Kliegel

Swiss journal of psychology, 2020, vol. 79, no. 3-4, pp. 101-112

Summary:

Whereas a growing corpus of research has investigated the impact of music practice on several domains of cognition, studies on the relationships between musicality and other abilities and skills in musically untrained children are scarce. The present study examined the associations between musicality, cognition, and sensorimotor skills in 69 musically untrained primary school children of around 10 years of age, using a test battery of musical, cognitive, and sensorimotor abilities. We analyzed the results using nonparametric correlations and an exploratory factor analysis. It was our anticipation that basic cognitive resources (short-term and working memory, attention, processing speed) would relate to both higher-order cognition and musicality. Results indicated that, in musically untrained children, the interconnections between musical and cognitive abilities restrain to auditory short-term and working memory. Direct associations between musicality and higher-order cognitive processes did not occur. An interesting secondary finding comprised associations between sensorimotor function, as measured by the Purdue Pegboard test, and higher-order cognition. Specifically, we found an association between bimanual coordination of fine finger dexterity and matrix reasoning. This outcome suggests that higher-order cognitive function benefits from an efficient mastering of procedural aspects of sensorimotor skills.

Train the brain with music (TBM) :

Scientific paper ArODES

brain plasticity and cognitive benefits induced by musical training in elderly people in Germany and Switzerland, a study protocol for an RCT comparing musical instrumental practice to sensitization to music

Clara Eline James, Eckart Altenmüller, Matthias Kliegel, Tillmann H.C. Krüger, Dimitri Van De Ville, Florian Worschech, Laura Abdili, Daniel S. Scholz, Kristin Jünemann, Alexandra Hering, Frédéric Grouiller, Christopher Sinke, Damien Marie

BMC geriatrics, 2020, vol. 20, article 418

Summary:

Background : Recent data suggest that musical practice prevents age-related cognitive decline. But experimental evidence remains sparse and no concise information on the neurophysiological bases exists, although cognitive decline represents a major impediment to healthy aging. A challenge in the field of aging is developing training regimens that stimulate neuroplasticity and delay or reverse symptoms of cognitive and cerebral decline. To be successful, these regimens should be easily integrated in daily life and intrinsically motivating. This study combines for the first-time protocolled music practice in elderly with cutting-edge neuroimaging and behavioral approaches, comparing two types of musical education. Methods : We conduct a two-site Hannover-Geneva randomized intervention study in altogether 155 retired healthy elderly (64–78) years, (63 in Geneva, 92 in Hannover), offering either piano instruction (experimental group) or musical listening awareness (control group). Over 12 months all participants receive weekly training for 1 hour, and exercise at home for ~ 30 min daily. Both groups study different music styles. Participants are tested at 4 time points (0, 6, and 12 months & post-training (18 months)) on cognitive and perceptual-motor aptitudes as well as via wide-ranging functional and structural neuroimaging and blood sampling. Discussion : We aim to demonstrate positive transfer effects for faculties traditionally described to decline with age, particularly in the piano group: executive functions, working memory, processing speed, abstract thinking and fine motor skills. Benefits in both groups may show for verbal memory, hearing in noise and subjective well-being. In association with these behavioral benefits we anticipate functional and structural brain plasticity in temporal (medial and lateral), prefrontal and parietal areas and the basal ganglia. We intend exhibiting for the first time that musical activities can provoke important societal impacts by diminishing cognitive and perceptual-motor decline supported by functional and structural brain plasticity.

Formal string instrument training in a class setting enhances cognitive and sensorimotor development of primary school children

Scientific paper ArODES

Clara Eline James, Sascha Zuber, Elise Dupuis Lozeron, Laura Abdili, Diane Gervaise, Matthias Kliegel

Frontiers in neuroscience, 2020, vol. 14, article 567

Summary:

This cluster randomized controlled trial provides evidence that focused musical instrumental practice, in comparison to traditional sensitization to music, provokes multiple transfer effects in the cognitive and sensorimotor domain. Over the last 2 years of primary school (10–12 years old), 69 children received group music instruction by professional musicians twice a week as part of the regular school curriculum. The intervention group learned to play string instruments, whereas the control group (i.e., peers in parallel classes) was sensitized to music via listening, theory and some practice. Broad benefits manifested in the intervention group as compared to the control group for working memory, attention, processing speed, cognitive flexibility, matrix reasoning, sensorimotor hand function, and bimanual coordination Apparently, learning to play a complex instrument in a dynamic group setting impacts development much stronger than classical sensitization to music. Our results therefore highlight the added value of intensive musical instrumental training in a group setting within the school curriculum. These results encourage general implementation of such training in public primary schools, thus better preparing children for secondary school and for daily living activities.

The impact of music interventions on motor rehabilitation following stroke in elderly

Book chapter ArODES

Eckart Altenmüller, Clara Eline James

Dans Belleville, Sylvie, Cuddy, Lola, Moussard, Aline, Music and aging brain (pp. 407-432). 2020, London : Elsevier

2019

Préface au manuel clinique de rééducation par la musique

Book chapter ArODES

Clara Eline James

Dans Hoemberg, Volker, Thaut, Michael H., Manuel clinique de rééducation par la musique : comment la musique contribue à soigner le cerveau (pp. 9-11 ; 458-459 (bibliogr.)). 2019, Louvain-la-Neuve : De Boek supérieur

Summary:

Un véritable guide d'application thérapeutique de la musique pour les troubles d'origine neurologique. Ce livre s'inscrit dans le développement récent des neurosciences et de leur application dans un contexte thérapeutique. Il présente, sous une forme complète et illustrée, les manières dont l'utilisation de la musique peut contribuer à la réadaptation du cerveau, que ce soit en bénéficiant de la plasticité cérébrale ou en proposant une remédiation cognitive. Le champ d'application de la neuromusicothérapie est vaste : troubles de la parole (aphasie...), maladie de Parkinson, d'Alzheimer, victimes d'AVC, de traumatismes crâniens, personnes atteintes de TDAH démence, maladies neurodégénératives, etc. Validée lors de tests cliniques, la neuromusicothérapie peut donc être utilisée par tous les professionnels de santés soucieux d'enrichir leur clinique, comme guide pratique ou dans un contexte d'enseignement.

Electrical neuroimaging of music processing in pianists with and without true absolute pitch

Scientific paper ArODES

Sélim Yahia Coll, Noémi Vuichoud, Didier Grandjean, Clara Eline James

Frontiers in neuroscience, 2019, vol. 13, 142

Summary:

True absolute pitch (AP), labeling of pitches with semitone precision without a reference, is classically studied using isolated tones. However, AP is acquired and has its function within complex dynamic musical contexts. Here we examined event-related brain responses and underlying cerebral sources to endings of short expressive string quartets, investigating a homogeneous population of young highly trained pianists with half of them possessing true-AP. The pieces ended regularly or contained harmonic transgressions at closure that participants appraised. Given the millisecond precision of ERP analyses, this experimental plan allowed examining whether AP alters music processing at an early perceptual, or later cognitive level, or both, and which cerebral sources underlie differences with non-AP musicians. We also investigated the impact of AP on general auditory cognition. Remarkably, harmonic transgression sensitivity did not differ between AP and non-AP participants, and differences for auditory cognition were only marginal. The key finding of this study is the involvement of a microstate peaking around 60 ms after musical closure, characterizing AP participants. Concurring sources were estimated in secondary auditory areas, comprising the planum temporale, all transgression conditions collapsed. These results suggest that AP is not a panacea to become a proficient musician, but a rare perceptual feature.

2018

Steady-state evoked potentials distinguish brain mechanisms of self-paced versus synchronization finger tapping

Scientific paper ArODES

Michael De Pretto, Marie-Pierre Deiber, Clara Eline James

Human movement science, October 2018, vol. 61, pp. 151-166

Summary:

Sensorimotor synchronization (SMS) requires aligning motor actions to external events and represents a core part of both musical and dance performances. In the current study, to isolate the brain mechanisms involved in synchronizing finger tapping with a musical beat, we compared SMS to pure self-paced finger tapping and listen-only conditions at different tempi. We analyzed EEG data using frequency domain steady-state evoked potentials (SSEPs) to identify sustained electrophysiological brain activity during repetitive tasks. Behavioral results revealed different timing modes between SMS and self-paced finger tapping, associated with distinct scalp topographies, thus suggesting different underlying brain sources. After subtraction of the listen-only brain activity, SMS was compared to self-paced finger tapping. Resulting source estimations showed stronger activation of the left inferior frontal gyrus during SMS, and stronger activation of the bilateral inferior parietal lobule during self-paced finger tapping. These results point to the left inferior frontal gyrus as a pivot for perception–action coupling. We discuss our findings in the context of the ongoing debate about SSEPs interpretation given the variety of brain events contributing to SSEPs and similar EEG frequency responses.

Tracking training-related plasticity by combining fMRI and DTI :

Scientific paper ArODES

the right hemisphere ventral stream mediates musical syntax processing

Mathias S. Oechslin, Markus Gschwind, Clara Eline James

Cerebral cortex, April 2018, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 1209-1218

Summary:

As a functional homolog for left-hemispheric syntax processing in language, neuroimaging studies evidenced involvement of right prefrontal regions in musical syntax processing, of which underlying white matter connectivity remains unexplored so far. In the current experiment, we investigated the underlying pathway architecture in subjects with 3 levels of musical expertise. Employing diffusion tensor imaging tractography, departing from seeds from our previous functional magnetic resonance imaging study on music syntax processing in the same participants, we identified a pathway in the right ventral stream that connects the middle temporal lobe with the inferior frontal cortex via the extreme capsule, and corresponds to the left hemisphere ventral stream, classically attributed to syntax processing in language comprehension. Additional morphometric consistency analyses allowed dissociating tract core from more dispersed fiber portions. Musical expertise related to higher tract consistency of the right ventral stream pathway. Specifically, tract consistency in this pathway predicted the sensitivity for musical syntax violations. We conclude that enduring musical practice sculpts ventral stream architecture. Our results suggest that training-related pathway plasticity facilitates the right hemisphere ventral stream information transfer, supporting an improved sound-to-meaning mapping in music.

La musique à l’école :

Professional paper ArODES

à quoi bon ?

Clara Eline James, Matthias Kliegel, Sascha Zuber, Laura Abdili, Diane Gervaise

Educateur, 2018, vol. 2, pp. 38-39

Summary:

Apprendre à jouer d’un instrument de musique à l’école publique est encore une exception en Suisse romande. Pourtant les bienfaits de la pratique musicale semblent multiples. Une étude sur deux ans évaluera l’impact de l’initiative "Orchestre en classe" sur le développement de l’enfant tout-venant.

2017

Electrical neuroimaging of music processing reveals mid-latency changes with level of musical expertise

Scientific paper ArODES

Clara Eline James, Mathias S. Oechslin, Christoph M. Michel, Michael De Pretto

Frontiers in neuroscience, November 2017, vol. 11, article 613, pp. 1-19

Summary:

This original research focused on the effect of musical training intensity on cerebral and behavioral processing of complex music using high-density event-related potential (ERP) approaches. Recently we have been able to show progressive changes with training in gray and white matter, and higher order brain functioning using (f)MRI [(functional) Magnetic Resonance Imaging], as well as changes in musical and general cognitive functioning. The current study investigated the same population of non-musicians, amateur pianists and expert pianists using spatio-temporal ERP analysis, by means of microstate analysis, and ERP source imaging. The stimuli consisted of complex musical compositions containing three levels of transgression ofmusical syntax at closure that participants appraised. ERP waveforms, microstates and underlying brain sources revealed gradual differences according to musical expertise in a 300–500ms window after the onset of the terminal chords of the pieces. Within this time-window, processing seemed to concern context-basedmemory updating, indicated by a P3b-like component or microstate for which underlying sources were localized in the right middle temporal gyrus, anterior cingulate and right parahippocampal areas. Given that the 3 expertise groups were carefully matched for demographic factors, these results provide evidence of the progressive impact of training on brain and behavior.

Impact of major and minor mode on EEG frequency range activities of music processing as a function of expertise

Scientific paper ArODES

Raoul Jenni, Mathias S. Oechslin, Clara Eline James

Neuroscience letters, April 2017, vol. 647, pp. 159-164

Summary:

Processing western tonal music may yield distinct brain responses depending on the mode of the musical compositions. Although subjective feelings in response to major and minor mode are well described, the underlying brain mechanisms and their development with increasing expertise have not been thoroughly examined. Using high-density electroencephalography, the present study investigated neuronal activities in the frequency domain in response to polyphone musical compositions in major and minor mode in non-musicians, amateurs and experts. During active listening decrease of theta- and gamma-frequency range activities occurred with increasing expertise in right posterior regions, possibly reflecting enhanced processing efficiency. Moreover, minor and major compositions distinctively modulated synchronization of neuronal activities in high frequency ranges (beta and gamma) in frontal regions, with increased activity in response to minor compositions in musicians and in experts in particular. These results suggest that high-frequency electroencephalographic (EEG) activities carry information about musical mode, showing gradual increase of processing efficiency and sensitivity with musical expertise.

2014

Musical training intensity yields opposite effects on grey matter density in cognitive versus sensorimotor networks

Scientific paper ArODES

Clara Eline James, Mathias S. Oechslin, Dimitri Van De Ville, Claude-Alain Hauert, Céline Descloux, François Lazeyras

Brain structure and function, 2014, vol. 219, pp. 353-366

Summary:

Using optimized voxel-based morphometry, we performed grey matter density analyses on 59 age-, sex- and intelligence-matched young adults with three distinct, progressive levels of musical training intensity or expertise. Structural brain adaptations in musicians have been repeatedly demonstrated in areas involved in auditory perception and motor skills. However, musical activities are not confined to auditory perception and motor performance, but are entangled with higher-order cognitive processes. In consequence, neuronal systems involved in such higher-order processing may also be shaped by experience-driven plasticity. We modelled expertise as a three-level regressor to study possible linear relationships of expertise with grey matter density. The key finding of this study resides in a functional dissimilarity between areas exhibiting increase versus decrease of grey matter as a function of musical expertise. Grey matter density increased with expertise in areas known for their involvement in higher-order cognitive processing: right fusiform gyrus (visual pattern recognition), right mid orbital gyrus (tonal sensitivity), left inferior frontal gyrus (syntactic processing, executive function, working memory), left intraparietal sulcus (visuo-motor coordination) and bilateral posterior cerebellar Crus II (executive function, working memory) and in auditory processing: left Heschl’s gyrus. Conversely, grey matter density decreased with expertise in bilateral perirolandic and striatal areas that are related to sensorimotor function, possibly reflecting high automation of motor skills. Moreover, a multiple regression analysis evidenced that grey matter density in the right mid orbital area and the inferior frontal gyrus predicted accuracy in detecting fine-grained incongruities in tonal music.

2012

Degree of musical expertise modulates higher order brain functioning

Scientific paper ArODES

Mathias S. Oechslin, Dimitri Van De Ville, François Lazeyras, Claude-Alain Hauert, Clara Eline James

Cerebral cortex, Septembre 2012, vol. 23, no. 9, pp. 2213-2224

Summary:

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we show for the first time that levels of musical expertise stepwise modulate higher order brain functioning. This suggests that degree of training intensity drives such cerebral plasticity. Participants (non-musicians, amateurs, and expert musicians) listened to a comprehensive set of specifically composed string quartets with hierarchically manipulated endings. In particular, we implemented 2 irregularities at musical closure that differed in salience but were both within the tonality of the piece (in-key). Behavioral sensitivity scores (d′) of both transgressions perfectly separated participants according to their level of musical expertise. By contrasting brain responses to harmonic transgressions against regular endings, functional brain imaging data showed compelling evidence for stepwise modulation of brain responses by both violation strength and expertise level in a fronto-temporal network hosting universal functions of working memory and attention. Additional independent testing evidenced an advantage in visual working memory for the professionals, which could be predicted by musical training intensity. The here introduced findings of brain plasticity demonstrate the progressive impact of musical training on cognitive brain functions that may manifest well beyond the field of music processing.

2024

JAMAIS TROP TARD

Conference

Les pouvoirs cachés de la musique pour le cerveau vieillissant

Conférence à Cité Seniors Genève, 02.10.2024 - 02.10.2024, Cité Seniors GEnève

Summary:

Le vieillissement peut altérer la cognition, ainsi que le fonctionnement et la structure du cerveau. Pour y remédier sans recourir à des médicaments, des méthodes scientifiquement étayées sont importantes. Une étude récente, portant sur 150 personnes âgées non-musiciennes, montre que des cours de musique, tels que l'apprentissage du piano ou la culture musicale, peuvent améliorer, entre autres, la mémoire, la perception sonore, la coordination bimanuelle ainsi que les fondements neuronaux associés.

La musique au cœur du bien vieillir

Conference

JAMAIS TROP TARD Les pouvoirs cachés de la musique pour le cerveau vieillissant

Conférence pour l’ouverture de la Résidence RECITAL pour personnes âgées., 29.09.2024 - 29.09.2024, Luxembourg, Luxembourg.

Summary:

Cette conférence met en lumière les effets positifs de la pratique musicale sur le vieillissement. La musique stimule la plasticité cérébrale, renforce les fonctions cognitives et motrices, et peut aider à ralentir le déclin cognitif chez les personnes âgées, même en commençant la pratique tardivement. Les recherches soulignent aussi que l'engagement musical régulier améliore la qualité de vie en favorisant le bien-être psychologique et social. Ces conclusions encouragent l'intégration de la musique dans des stratégies de prévention du vieillissement.

2023

Never too late: musical training-driven brain and cognitive benefits in healthy elderly

Conference

Alpine Brain Imaging Meeting 2023, 08.01.2023 - 12.01.2023, Champéry, Switzerland

Summary:

Age?related cognitive decline is a major impediment to healthy aging, independence, and well?being. Incrusted beliefs that aging is solely defined by decline prevent many older persons from engaging in learning new skills. Our approach proposes learning new skills in healthy older adults after retirement. We investigated musical training-driven benefits for abilities traditionally considered to decline during normal aging: working memory, executive function, hearing in noise, and fine motor skills, as well as for brain structural and functional plasticity. The study followed a longitudinal design, offering intensive piano training versus "musical culture" training (active listening and learning about music) to groups of retired nonmusician elderly (n~150, 60 in Geneva and 90 in Hannover, Germany), over 12 months. Psychometric and neuroimaging data were collected at baseline, 6 and 12 months after training onset, and after a delay of 6 months. Initial analyses show enhanced speech in noise perception, improved working memory and long-term verbal memory, associated with plasticity of gray and white matter, with the piano group exhibiting greater alterations. Increased cortical thickness and gray matter volume occurred in the piano group in primary and secondary auditory areas. Functional network plasticity could be associated with increased hand dexterity and auditory-motor integration in the piano group. Unveiling specific positive effects of music practice and analytical music listening on agerelated cognitive decline can contribute to maintaining mental health and quality of life of older adults, decrease the need for assisted living, and promote such approaches on a large scale in the community.

2022

Effets cognitifs et cérébraux des interventions musicales sur le vieillissement normal.

Conference

50e Entretien de Médecine Physique et de Réadaptation. Colloque Audition et Cognition., 25.03.2022 - 25.05.2022, Montpellier, France

Summary:

Le déclin cognitif lié à l’âge touche de nombreuses fonctions cognitives. Pour ralentir ce phénomène, il faut disposer d’interventions basées sur des preuves scientifiques, et faciles à intégrer en vie réelle. L’impact de la pratique musicale sur la plasticité cérébrale est sous-tendu par plusieurs études. Des études longitudinales comparant des enfants pratiquant ou non la musique ont montré des différences dans leurs développements cognitif et sensorimoteur, et dans plusieurs structures cérébrales. D’autres études comparant des instrumentistes en fonction de l’intensité ou du type de leur pratique, ont révélé des différences structurelles et fonctionnelles lors de tâches auditives en imagerie cérébrale, les différences inter-groupes étant spécifiques du paramètre étudié (intensité/type de pratique).

Une étude récente, randomisée contrôlée, portant sur environ 150 sujets âgés, a comparé l’effet de deux pratiques musicales pendant un an : culture musicale en petit groupe, ou piano en binôme. Les premières analyses à 6 mois ont révélé que les deux interventions étaient liées à une stabilisation ou une amélioration de la taille de certaines structures cérébrales dont le volume était corrélé aux performances en mémoire de travail tonale. Les participants du groupe « piano » avaient de plus une meilleure perception de la parole dans le bruit, associée à une épaisseur corticale plus importante du gyrus de Heschl droit.

Des approches thérapeutiques innovantes constituées d’activités musicales adaptées à une population âgée novice en musique, pourraient être ainsi proposées pour améliorer leurs capacités cognitives et sensorimotrices, et préserver leurs structures et fonctions cérébrales.

2021

Music for Rehabilitation

Conference

Countervail age-related cognitive and cerebral decline through music interventions

Music for Development & Rehabilitation, 08.07.2021 - 08.07.2021, Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland

Summary:

Chair of symposium "Music for Rehabilitation"

Is it never too late? Effects of music interventions in healthy seniors on cognitive function, motor control, listening skills, and brain plasticity

Conference

The impact of long-term music interventions on behavior and brain plasticity over the lifespan in healthy individuals and in individuals with ADHD or autism spectrum disorder

Conference Neurosciences and music VII "Connecting with music over the lifespan"., 19.06.2021 - 19.06.2021, Aarhus, Denmark

2020

Ensemble Contrechamps & Groupe genevois de Philosophie

Conference

Perception et traitement cérébral de la musique tonale et atonale, 04.11.2020, Studio Ernest Ansermet, Genève

Summary:

L’être humain semble préférer la consonance à la dissonance, comme démontré au niveau comportemental et cérébral chez des nouveau-nés humains. Toutefois, ceci est aussi culturellement déterminé. Des populations vivant en Europe de l’Est et dans certains pays asiatiques apprécient des musiques qui contiennent des accords dissonants aigus. Mais ces musiques sont toutefois tonales, c’est-à-dire qu’une certaine note et sa gamme associée jouent un rôle dominant. Quant à la syntaxe de la musique, un abandon complet de la tonalité n’est pas facile à gérer par le cerveau, qui est toujours à la recherche de régularités et de structure. Durant cette conférence, nous ferons voyager le public du prototype de la tonalité occidentale à son renoncement complet, dans l’atonalité libre et la musique sérielle. À quel point peut-on apprendre à apprécier de telles musiques ? Et le cerveau, est-ce qu’il arrive à mieux traiter la musique atonale suite à une familiarisation avec sa syntaxe, et est-ce que cet apprentissage est universel ou réservé à une population restreinte ?

2019

2nd European Music School Symposium, University of music and performing arts, Vienna, Austria.

Conference

Two years of Orchestra in Class enhance cognitive and sensorimotor development of primary schoolchildren, 10.11.2019 - 11.11.2019, University of music and performing arts, Vienna, Austria

Summary:

Aim

Mandated by the Accademia d’Archi, Prof. C. James and her team at the School of Health Sciences Geneva, in collaboration with the Psychology Department of the University of Geneva, aimed to evaluate the potential positive transfer effects of a specific “orchestra in class” (OC) program on cognitive and sensorimotor child development in public primary schools.

Background

Musical practice manifests as a driving force of cognitive and sensorimotor development, as it involves almost all human cognitive functions, but also because music is emotionally rewarding.

Methods

34 primary school children (10-12 years) received string instrument training by professionals twice per week within entire classes over 2 years. Instruction involved posture, sound production, rhythm, playing in tune and music reading, but ensemble playing occupied a central role. The control group consisted of peers in parallel classes (n=35) who also received two music lessons per week, including choir singing and sensitization to music provided by a specialized teacher. Assignment to the OC program was random.

A battery of psychometric tests evaluating different cognitive, musical and sensorimotor functions was applied at 3 points in time. Only children without extracurricular music experience participated in the study.

Results

After 2 years the OC group showed enhanced development for musical, basic and higher order cognitive and sensorimotor function compared to the control group.

Conclusion

Plus-values of the study are the children’s diverse backgrounds, the OC program, the large test battery, the full two years of training, and the active control group.

We conclude that music practice should be offered to all children in public primary schools, preferably starting at a more tender age and extending over a longer period of time, as brain and behavioral plasticity is maximal around 7 years of age.

Following these scientific results, the City of Geneva expanded the program: during a probationary period, the OC program will cover 4 years starting 2 years earlier.

First meeting of the Network for Interdisciplinary Research in Music; "Hanzehogeschool Groningen", Research Center Art and Society, the Netherlands.

Conference

Impact of music practice on brain and behavior over the lifespan, 08.05.2019, "Hanzehogeschool Groningen", Research Center Art and Society, the Netherlands

Summary:

In this conference I will give an overview of the influence of musical activities on brain and behavior from cradle to grave. First, I will show that the human brain is “prewired” to process music. This may then underpin beneficial effects of music exposure in premature born babies. Then I will evoke the natural development of musicality in children without specific training. The core of the talk will show, how intensity of musical instrumental training gradually changed brain and behavior in young adults. The results of that series of studies inspired me to use music practice as a developmental and therapeutic tool. I will discuss a recent longitudinal study on primary school children that showed that cognitive and sensorimotor development was enhanced in children that learned to play string instruments as compared to children that were just sensitized to music, both in a group setting. Finally, I will discuss an ongoing international longitudinal study where we aim to countervail cognitive and cerebral decline in elderly via musical practice. I will finish with a brief introduction to two new projects that we are preparing, one on elderly with mild cognitive decline that we hope help recover (partially) through music practice, and another on behavioral, cognitive and cerebral benefits of musical training in both healthy and high-risk children.

"Learning and Plasticity meeting", Äkäslompolo, Finland

Conference