Neuroplastic changes in solo vocalists
Final Report Abstract
This study aimed at assessing for the first time a) neuroplastic differences between professional and non-professional solo vocalists and b) investigated the effects of EEG- biofeedback training to increase theta activity in the EEG on neural reorganization and musical performance. Based on preliminary work of the applicants, we utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging and electrophysiological measures 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 mouth and pharyngeal representation sites. Neurofeedback training shall modify these neuronal processes of reorganisation and enhance musical performance.
Publications
- (2005). The professional singer: brain activity during executed and imagined singing. 45th Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research, Lisbon, Portugal
Kleber, B., Birbaumer, N., Veit, R., & Lotze, M.
- (2006). The brain in concert Activation during actual and imagined singing in professionals. 12th Annual Meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping, Florence, Italy
Kleber, B., Birbaumer, N., Veit, R., & Lotze, M.
- (2007). fMRI correlates of professional singing after neurofeedback training. .Conference of Applied Neuroscience for Healthy Brain Function, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Kleber, B., Gruzelier, J., Bensch, M., Veit, R., Lotze, M., & Birbaumer, N.
- (2007). Neural correlates of professional classical singing. International Symposium on Performance Science, Porto, Portugal
Kleber, B., Veit, R., Birbaumer, N., & Lotze, M.
- (2007). Overt and imagined singing of an Italian aria. NeuroImage, 36(3), 889-900
Kleber, B., Birbaumer, N., Veit, R., Trevorrow, T., & Lotze, M.
