The Music and Language project’s goal is to compare specific neural substrates underlying music and language and to ascertain whether similar processes in music and language call upon similar parts of the brain. To do this, we use neuroimaging (fMRI) to compare brain activations in response to short auditorily-presented musical and speech excerpts to scrambled versions of these same excerpts. In doing so, our goal is to separate the temporal or “syntax” part of music and speech from the rest of the sound. Results so far indicate that the two types of syntax, though resulting in similar brain activations, are processed in slightly different regions of the left inferior temporal lobe. Thus far, we have only done this study using non-musician participants, but we would like to extend it to musicians also and compare the two groups. .Related Publications Levitin, D. J. et al. Neural correlates of auditory perception in Williams syndrome: an FMRI study. Neuroimage 18, 74-82 (2003). Abstract      PDF Levitin, D. J. & Menon, V. Musical structure is processed in "language" areas of the brain: a possible role for Brodmann Area 47 in temporal coherence. Neuroimage 20, 2142-52 (2003). Abstract       PDF Levitin, D. J. & Menon, V. The neural locus of temporal structure and expectancies in music: Evidence from functional neuroimaging at 3 Tesla. Music Perception 22, 563-576 (2005). Abstract      PDF Menon, V. et al. Neural correlates of timbre change in harmonic sounds. Neuroimage 17, 1742-54 (2002). Abstract       PDF Menon, V. & Levitin, D. J. The rewards of music listening: response and physiological connectivity of the mesolimbic system. Neuroimage 28, 175-84 (2005). Abstract     PDF