The rhythmic mind: brain functions of percussionists in improvisation.

Introduction: Percussionists stand out for their expertise in rhythm, with the network for musical rhythm (NMR) serving a vital neurological function in their improvisation, which is deeply rooted in comprehensive musical knowledge. Our research examines the central representations of various improvisation tactics used by percussionists and investigates the interactions between the NMR and other relevant neural networks.

Methods: Twenty-five percussionists participated in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) sessions, which included two cognitive strategies of improvisation.

Inner sense of rhythm: percussionist brain activity during rhythmic encoding and synchronization.

Introduction: The main objective of this research is to explore the core cognitive mechanisms utilized by exceptionally skilled percussionists as they navigate complex rhythms. Our specific focus is on understanding the dynamic interactions among brain regions, respectively, related to externally directed cognition (EDC), internally directed cognition (IDC), and rhythm processing, defined as the neural correlates of rhythm processing (NCRP).

Methods: The research involved 26 participants each in the percussionist group (PG) and control group (CG), who underwent task-functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) sessions focusing on rhythm encoding and synchronization.

Effects of music therapy on cognition, quality of life, and neuropsychiatric symptoms of patients with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Dementia is a major cause of disability and dependency. Pharmacological interventions are commonly provided to patients with dementia to delay the deterioration of cognitive functions but cannot alter the course of disease. Nonpharmacological interventions are now attracting increasing scholarly interest.