Neural Correlates of Processing Syntax in Music and ... - PubMan

Experiment III 135
Even though descriptively a difference in lateralization between the two groups was
observed, the interaction of syntactic regularity × hemisphere × subgroup was only
approaching significance (F(1,30) = 3.05, p = 0.091) when evaluated in an ANOVA (with
the same within-subject and between-subjects factors as above). This ANOVA (see
column 3 of Table 11-2) revealed further a main effect of regularity, an interaction of
syntactic regularity × anterior-posterior distribution, an interaction of syntactic regularity
× anterior-posterior distribution × hemisphere, and an interaction of syntactic regularity
× anterior-posterior distribution × attention. These interactions indicate that an
LSN was mainly found in the anterior ROIs, with a stronger leftward lateralization, that
might be further modulated by the attentiveness of the participants.
To ensure that the amplitudes of the ERP components were not influenced by the educational
background, correlation analyses were employed. Because only for the ERAN a
reliable interaction with subgroup was found (syntactic regularity × anterior-posterior
distribution × subgroup) the amplitude of the ERAN in both anterior ROIs was correlated
with the variables that describe the educational background of the participants
(parent’s duration of education, parent’s socio-economic status, and non-verbal IQ of
the children). All correlations were around zero (-0.095 ��r �������������������������������
significant (0.601 ��p ����������������������������������������������������������������
differed between the groups were not influenced by variables reflecting the educational
background of the children.
11.4 Discussion
The present experiment investigated the processing of musical and linguistic syntax in
children that either received musical training or did not have any extracurricular music
lessons. An ERAN could be observed in both groups. It was bilaterally distributed (but
had a slightly higher amplitude in the right hemisphere) which is in accordance with
earlier experiments using the same class of stimuli (Koelsch et al., 2007). The ERAN
peaked later than in adults (see, e.g., Koelsch et al., 2007), and older children (Jentschke
et al., 2005). The main finding of this experiment was the observation of an enlarged
ERAN amplitude size in MT children compared to NM children. This finding was expected,
because an earlier study (Koelsch, Schmidt et al., 2002) investigating the processing
of musical syntax in adult musicians and non-musicians found an enlarged
ERAN amplitude in adult musicians. More generally, the present results are in accordance
with evidence for differences in auditory processing at many stages of music
perception (see the chapter on “Musical Training”). This represents an intriguing finding,
given that these children learned an instrument not longer than around 39 months.