Neuroplastic changes in solo vocalists

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Niels Birbaumer
• Subject Area: General, Cognitive and Mathematical Psychology
• Term: from 2005 to 2009
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5439891

For the first time neuroplastical differences between professional and non-professional solo vocalists shall be assessed ant the effects of a neurofeedback training, that aims at increasing theta activity in the EEG, on neuropsasticity, working memory and musical perfomance will be investigated and compared to a standard relaxation technique. Utilizing functional magnetic resonance imaging and electrophysiological measures based on preliminary work of the applicants, we intent to prove an increased economy of cortical activation in professional singers, additional activation of primary auditory areas during singing and imagination of singing and possible changes in mounth an dpharyngeal representation sites. Neurofeedback training shall induce an increase there neuronal processes of reorganisaion and enhance working memory and musical performance efficacy.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: United Kingdom
• Participating Persons: Professor Dr. John Gruzelier; Professor Dr. Martin Lotze