Colombo Barbara, Anctil Reid, Balzarotti Stefania, Biassoni Federica, Antonietti Alessandro
Neuroscience Research Lab, Champlain College, Burlington, VT, United States.
Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milano, Italy.
Front Neurosci. 2021 Apr 8;15:624653. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2021.624653. eCollection 2021.
Evidence reported in the literature suggests that the mirror system not only plays a role in recognizing motor action but also fosters a better understanding of other people because it helps an individual assume another's perspective. This led to the idea, supported by research findings, that people with higher empathy scores should show higher activation of the mirror system. Recently, it has been hypothesized that a purely auditory mirror system exists. In this study, we aimed to explore the possibility that this system might play a particular role for musicians. Specifically, this system would impact their response to a new piece of music by using non-invasive brain stimulation to modulate the activation of the mirror system. A sample of 40 young musicians was involved in this study. Half of the participants were randomly assigned to a cathodal stimulation condition, while the other half was used as a control. After listening to a new piece of music, participants were asked to rate the creativity of the piece (by focusing on how interesting, innovative, and exciting the piece was) as well as their general emotional response to it. Their empathy levels were also assessed using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). Results showed that the cathodal stimulation of the mirror system negatively affected both the perception of creativity (level of innovation) and the emotional response to the music. There was no significant difference in the ratings of how interesting the piece was perceived. The effect was mediated by the individuals' level of empathy. Specifically, empathic concern and fantasy dimensions increased the evaluation of creativity. Results also showed that participants reported less emotion with a negative valence in the cathodal stimulation condition.
文献报道的证据表明，镜像系统不仅在识别动作行为中发挥作用，还能促进对他人更好的理解，因为它有助于个体换位思考。这引发了一种观点，得到研究结果支持，即共情得分较高的人应表现出镜像系统更高的激活水平。最近，有人假设存在一个纯粹的听觉镜像系统。在本研究中，我们旨在探索该系统可能对音乐家发挥特殊作用的可能性。具体而言，该系统会通过使用非侵入性脑刺激来调节镜像系统的激活，从而影响他们对一首新乐曲的反应。40名年轻音乐家参与了本研究。一半参与者被随机分配到阴极刺激条件下，另一半作为对照组。在听完一首新乐曲后，要求参与者对乐曲的创造力（关注乐曲有多有趣、创新和令人兴奋）以及他们对乐曲的总体情绪反应进行评分。还使用人际反应指数（IRI）评估了他们的共情水平。结果表明，对镜像系统的阴极刺激对创造力感知（创新水平）和对音乐的情绪反应均产生负面影响。在乐曲被感知的有趣程度评分上没有显著差异。这种影响是由个体的共情水平介导的。具体而言，共情关注和幻想维度提高了对创造力的评价。结果还表明，在阴极刺激条件下，参与者报告的负性情绪较少。
