Right temporal lobe activation when listening to emotionally significant music
Author
Summary, in English
The cerebral activation when normal elderly participants (6 women, 6 men, M age = 70 years) listened to self-selected emotionally significant music was investigated. Musical memories and preferences were discussed in an interview, and a piece of music with great emotional significance to the participant was selected and later played during measurement of the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). Measurements were made during silence, individually selected emotional music, and standard neutral music. The right temporal lobe showed a significant (p < .01) increase in rCBF when the emotional music was compared to silence. A temporal lobe asymmetry (right > left) during emotional music was also significant (p < .01). A decrease in the left prefrontal areas reached significance (p < .05) when standard music was compared to silence. For the emotional music, the right prefrontal area showed a decrease (p < .05). Emotional music thus activates right temporal and deactivates prefrontal regions in the right hemisphere.
Department/s
Publishing year
2004
Language
English
Pages
161-166
Publication/Series
Applied Neuropsychology
Volume
11
Issue
3
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Topic
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Geriatrics
Keywords
- cortical processing
- musical
- cerebral blood flow
- enjoyment
- elderly participants
- experience
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 0908-4282