Cognitive Science Department, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
Brain Res. 2012 Nov 5;1483:71-81. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2012.09.014. Epub 2012 Sep 14.
The present study evaluated the effect of music on large-scale structure of functional brain networks using graph theoretical concepts. While most studies on music perception used Western music as an acoustic stimulus, Guqin music, representative of Eastern music, was selected for this experiment to increase our knowledge of music perception. Electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded from non-musician volunteers in three conditions: Guqin music, noise and silence backgrounds. Phase coherence was calculated in the alpha band and between all pairs of EEG channels to construct correlation matrices. Each resulting matrix was converted into a weighted graph using a threshold, and two network measures: the clustering coefficient and characteristic path length were calculated. Music perception was found to display a higher level mean phase coherence. Over the whole range of thresholds, the clustering coefficient was larger while listening to music, whereas the path length was smaller. Networks in music background still had a shorter characteristic path length even after the correction for differences in mean synchronization level among background conditions. This topological change indicated a more optimal structure under music perception. Thus, prominent small-world properties are confirmed in functional brain networks. Furthermore, music perception shows an increase of functional connectivity and an enhancement of small-world network organizations.
本研究运用图论概念评估了音乐对大脑功能网络整体结构的影响。虽然大多数音乐感知研究都采用西方音乐作为声学刺激，但本实验选择了古琴音乐作为东方音乐的代表，以增加我们对音乐感知的了解。研究人员记录了非音乐家志愿者在古琴音乐、噪声和安静背景下的三种状态下的脑电图（EEG）。在 alpha 波段和所有 EEG 通道之间计算相位相干性，以构建相关矩阵。使用阈值将每个生成的矩阵转换为加权图，并计算两个网络度量：聚类系数和特征路径长度。研究发现，音乐感知显示出更高的平均相位相干性。在整个阈值范围内，音乐背景下的聚类系数更大，而路径长度更小。即使在对背景条件下平均同步水平差异进行校正后，音乐背景下的网络仍具有较短的特征路径长度。这种拓扑变化表明在音乐感知下具有更优的结构。因此，功能性脑网络中存在显著的小世界属性。此外，音乐感知表现出功能连接的增加和小世界网络组织的增强。
