EEG ASPECTS OF MENTALLY PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT

This pilot study examines the possibility to detect activities of SMA by means of EEG coherence analysis in a female professional violoncell ist. The proband was asked, for 5 min each, to listen to a piece of mu sic (she knew by heart), to imagine playing this piece and to imagine playing scales. The experiment was repeated after 5 days. Consistent s ignificant coherence changes with respect to the averaged EEG at rest were plotted as probability maps. For each of these three tasks differ ent coherence patterns emerged. Among the electrodes next to SMA, Fz w as most involved while playing scales, less while imagining playing th e same piece and still less while just listening to it.