The musician's brain as a model of neuroplasticity.
Studies of experience-driven neuroplasticity at the behavioural, ensemble, cellular and molecular levels have shown that the structure and significance of the eliciting stimulus can determine the neural changes that result. Studying such effects in humans is difficult, but professional musicians represent an ideal model in which to investigate plastic changes in the human brain. There are two advantages to studying plasticity in musicians: the complexity of the eliciting stimulus   music   and the extent of their exposure to this stimulus. Here, we focus on the functional and anatomical differences that have been detected in musicians by modern neuroimaging methods.
Münte
Thomas F
TF
Department of Neuropsychology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Universitätsplatz 2, Gebäude 24, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany. thomas.muente@med.uni-magdeburg.de
Altenmüller
Eckart
E
Jäncke
Lutz
L
D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D009146:Music; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D010898:Pitch Perception / Q000502:physiology