Music training and mental imagery ability

Neuroimaging studies have suggested that the auditory cortex is involved in music processing as well as in auditory imagery. We hypothesized that musi c training may be associated with improved auditory imagery ability. In thi s study, performance of musically trained and musically naive subjects was compared on: (1) a musical mental imagery task (in which subjects had to me ntally compare pitches of notes corresponding to lyrics takes from familiar songs); (2) a non-musical auditory imagery task (in which subjects had to mentally compare the acoustic characteristics of everyday sounds); and (3) a comparable measure of visual imagery (in which subjects had to mentally c ompare visual forms of objectsNeuroimaging studies have suggested that the auditory cortex is involved in music processing as well as in auditory imag ery. We hypothesized that music training may be associated with improved au ditory imagery ability. In this study, performance of musically trained and musically naive subjects was compared on: (1) a musical mental imagery tas k tin which subjects had to mentally compare pitches of notes corresponding to lyrics takes from familiar songs); (2) a non-musical auditory imagery t ask tin which subjects had to mentally compare the acoustic characteristics of everyday sounds); and (3) a comparable measure of visual imagery tin wh ich subjects had to mentally compare visual forms of objects). The musicall y trained group did not only perform better on the musical imagery task, bu t also outperformed musically naive subjects on the non-musical auditory im agery task. In contrast, the two groups did not differ on the visual imager y task. This finding is discussed in relation to theoretical proposals abou t music processing and brain activity. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All r ights reserved.). The musically trained group did not only perform better o n the musical imagery task, but also outperformed musically naive subjects on the non-musical auditory imagery task. In contrast, the two groups did n ot differ on the visual imagery task. This finding is discussed in relation to theoretical proposals about music processing and brain activity. (C) 20 00 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.