Stefan Koelsch, Univ of Sussex

Perception-action mediation in music

Stefan Koelsch

Perception of Musical Sounds@ University of Sussex

Stefan Koelsch, Univ of Sussex

Prinz, European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 1997

Common Coding

Stefan Koelsch, Univ of Sussex

motor theory of speech perception

• (perception of) speech is decoded by the same processes that are involved in speech production (Liberman & Mattingly, 1985)

Stefan Koelsch, Univ of Sussex

Koelsch & Siebel, TICS, 2005

Stefan Koelsch, Univ of Sussex

„mirror neuron“

The experimenter grasps a piece of food with his hand then moves it toward the monkey, who, at the end of the trial, grasps it. The neuron discharges during observation of the grip, ceases to fire when the food is given to the monkey and discharges again when the monkey grasps it.

Adapted from Rizzolatti et al. (1996) Cogn. Brain Res. 3, 131–141

Stefan Koelsch, Univ of Sussex

Perception – action mediation in pianists

Haueisen & Knoesche, JOCN 2001

Stefan Koelsch, Univ of Sussex

Perception – action mediation in pianists

Haueisen & Knoesche, JOCN 2001

Stefan Koelsch, Univ of Sussex

PM neurons responding to sounds

Example of a neuron that discharges when the monkey performs a hand action (not shown). This neuron also responded to the vision and sound of a tearing action (paper ripping; V+S). Simply hearing the sound of the same action (performed out of the monkey’s sight) was equally effective (S). Sounds that were non–action-related (white noise, monkey calls) did not evoke any excitatory response (CS1, CS2). Rastergrams are shown together with spike density functions. Vertical lines indicate the time when the sound occurred. Traces under the spike density functions in S and in CS conditions are oscillograms of the sounds used to test the neurons.

Kohler E, et al., Science 2002

Stefan Koelsch, Univ of Sussex

Perception – action mediation in nonmusicians

Callan et al., NeuroImage 2006

Stefan Koelsch, Univ of Sussex

Perception – action mediation in nonmusicians

Callan et al., NeuroImage 2006

Stefan Koelsch, Univ of Sussex

Training of perception – action mediation with music

Lahav, Saltzman & Schlaug, J Neurosci 2007

Stefan Koelsch, Univ of Sussex

Koelsch, Fritz & Mueller, et al Human Brain Mapping 2006

perception – action – mediation and emotion

Stefan Koelsch, Univ of Sussex

Perception – action („mirror“) mechanisms serve ...

• The understanding of actions• The learning of actions• Prediction of actions of others

Stefan Koelsch, Univ of Sussex

Premotor codes are also used for Working memory

Koelsch, Schulze, Sammler, et al., Human Brain Mapp, in press