Electroencephalogram patterns with the presence of an unknown musical stimulus

The cerebral activity presents different behaviors in different situations and levels of consciousness, especially under musical stimulation. Signals of the central nervous system may disclose bioelectrical patterns, since listening to rhythmic sequences activates specific brain areas. In this paper, we analyze 42 neurologically normal Brazilian individuals, submitted to musical stimulation based on a procedure consisting of three different steps, during which the volunteer is kept with closed eyes. The first step is associated with the preliminary control silence period, without any stimulus, as the volunteer remains at rest. The second step consisted of unknown music stimulation. Finally, the third step involves post-music rest. Quantitative signal analysis computes the power spectrum time variations. Results point out stronger changes in gamma and high gamma waves (30 ­ 100 Hz). Even though the clinical rhythms (0 ­ 30 Hz) change throughout the whole period of the experiment, quantitative differences at gamma and high gamma bands are remarkably greater. Particularly, when comparing the initial silent period and the final post-stimulation silent one, bioelectrical differences are only highlighted by gamma and high gamma rhythms. In consequence, this paper points out that the EEG analysis of cognitive issues related to musical perception cannot disregard gamma and high gamma waves.

Aprendizagem de rudimentos de leitura musical com ensino cumulativo e não cumulativo de relações condicionais / Learning Rudiments of Music Reading with Cumulative and Noncumulative Teaching of Conditional Relations

RESUMO O estudo avaliou o efeito de treino cumulativo de relações condicionais sobre a aprendizagem de rudimentos de leitura musical. Os estímulos foram sequências de notas nas modalidades: sonora (A), notação em clave de sol (B) e figura de teclado (C). Cinco estudantes universitários realizaram a Condição Não Cumulativa, composta por treinos AB e BC e testes, com dois exemplares diferentes em cada fase experimental. Na Condição Cumulativa, outros cinco participantes aprenderam as relações condicionais com os exemplares da Fase 2 acumulados aos da Fase 1. A Condição Cumulativa mostrou a manutenção de um número significativamente maior de relações AB, desempenhos superiores nos testes de formação de classes de estímulos equivalentes e escores mais elevados de leitura recombinativa do que a Condição Não Cumulativa.

ABSTRACT This study investigated the effects of cumulative training of conditional relations on learning rudiments of musical reading. The stimuli were sequences of notes in three modalities: sound (A); treble clef pentagram (B); and picture of keyboard (C). Five undergraduates were exposed to the Noncumulative Condition, which consisted of training AB and BC and testing, using different stimuli in each experimental phase. For the other five participants of Cumulative Condition, stimuli trained in Phase 1 were revised in the training of Phase 2. The Cumulative Condition showed maintenance of a larger number of AB relations, higher performances in tests of equivalence stimulus classes and higher scores of recombinative reading than Noncumulative Condition.