IN-VIVO EVIDENCE OF STRUCTURAL BRAIN ASYMMETRY IN MUSICIANS

Certain human talents, such as musical ability, have been associated w ith left-right differences in brain structure and function. In vivo ma gnetic resonance morphometry of the brain in musicians was used to mea sure the anatomical asymmetry of the planum temporale, a brain area co ntaining auditory association cortex and previously shown to be a mark er of structural and functional asymmetry. Musicians with perfect pitc h revealed stronger leftward planum temporale asymmetry than nonmusici ans or musicians without perfect pitch. The results indicate that outs tanding musical ability is associated with increased leftward asymmetr y of cortex subserving music-related functions.