Synchronization of complex human networks.

The synchronization of human networks is essential for our civilization and understanding its dynamics is important to many aspects of our lives. Human ensembles were investigated, but in noisy environments and with limited control over the network parameters which govern the network dynamics. Specifically, research has focused predominantly on all-to-all coupling, whereas current social networks and human interactions are often based on complex coupling configurations. Here, we study the synchronization between violin players in complex networks with full and accurate control over the network connectivity, coupling strength, and delay. We show that the players can tune their playing period and delete connections by ignoring frustrating signals, to find a stable solution. These additional degrees of freedom enable new strategies and yield better solutions than are possible within current models such as the Kuramoto model. Our results may influence numerous fields, including traffic management, epidemic control, and stock market dynamics.

Music to One's Ears: Familiarity and Music Engagement in People With Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex diagnosis commonly associated with motor dysfunction, but known to comprise cognitive, psychiatric, and mood disturbances as well. Music has been successfully used to address motor and non-motor symptoms of PD. Still, little is known about the nature of an individual with PD's experience and relationship with music on conceptual and emotional levels, which may factor into their engagement in music-based techniques to ameliorate impairments. Two surveys were administered to 19 individuals with PD and 15 individuals without PD in order to gauge their subjective impressions and valuations of music. Participants completed The Brief Music Experience Questionnaire (BMEQ), a standard self-report measure pertaining to the role of music in one's life, prior to performing a perception task which involved listening to and making sound adjustments to three music recordings. Following the perception task, a custom Exit Survey was administered to evaluate the experience of listening to and engaging with the music in the perception task. In all six dimensions of the BMEQ, examining aspects of music experience including commitment to music, self-reported musical aptitude, social uplift, affective reactions, positive psychotropic effects, and reactive musical behavior (RMB, pertaining to actions or behaviors in response to music), the mean and the median were greater for the control group than for the PD group, but the difference was only statistically significant in the RMB dimension. On the Exit Survey, both groups assessed recent, specific, and interactive music listening more positively than the imagined, hypothetical or general music experiences addressed on the BMEQ. Additionally, familiarity had a greater effect on listening pleasure for participants with PD than those without PD. We conclude that people with PD may perceive less of an automatic connection between music and activity than their healthy peers. Additionally, they may receive more pleasure and value from music than they anticipate. Taken together, our results suggest that people with PD may require encouragement to participate as well as empowerment to choose familiar selections in order to better access music-based interventions and the benefits they can offer.