Piano training as a model for studying the dynamics of experience-dependent neuroplasticity : PhD thesis

Olszewska, Alicja M.

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Piano training as a model for studying the dynamics of experience-dependent neuroplasticity : PhD thesis

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Title: Piano training as a model for studying the dynamics of experience-dependent neuroplasticity : PhD thesis

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Training-related neuroplasticity is a phenomenon where the brain undergoes reorganisation to support the acquisition of a new skill. Existing research suggests that musical training influences how the brain processes sound through adaptations in the auditory network, and might lead to adaptations in the motor network and auditory-motor integration. However, many studies rely on cross-sectional designs, or longitudinal approaches limited to "before-after" designs, potentially missing the dynamic nature of the neuroplastic processes hinted at by studies on motor learning. Finally, most research has focused only on auditory adaptations. The current project combines longitudinal and cross-sectional approaches in three studies to investigate the changes in brain activation of novice adult pianists undergoing a naturalistic piano training for twenty-six weeks. By employing multiple measurements during training, it approximates the time-course of these changes. Additionally, the ecological tasks and multiple control measures help to isolate training-related effects from other phenomena such as task repetition. Study 1 focuses on changes in auditory processing by comparing the novice pianists with a passive control group. Using a music listening fMRI task, it shows no effects of training on the neural correlates of listening to music. In a tonal working memory behavioural task, no transfer effects occurred to a cognitive task of tonal working memory during piano training. Due to a lack significant of effects in time, it is impossible to discuss the dynamics of training-related changes in the auditory domain. In Study 2, I investigate training-related adaptations within the motor system and auditory-motor interactions with the use of two fMRI tasks in the group of novice pianists. The first task involves sequential pressing of keys on an MRI-compatible piano in three conditions of increasing bimanual demands. It shows complex and dynamic training-related changes in brain activation in the cortico-cerebellar motor network and auditory-motor integration areas, depending on the stage of the training and task demands. The second fMRI task encompasses the naturalistic music playing paradigm. Its outcomes include overall decreases in brain activation in the cortico-cerebellar and cortico-striatal motor networks, as well as auditory-motor integrative areas. These findings are indicative of an optimisation processes and shift from spatial attention to automated movement, in line with studies on motor learning. Study 3 combines longitudinal and cross-sectional approaches to compare novice pianists before and after training with trained musicians. The piano key pressing fMRI task shows increased activation in auditory-motor integrative areas for the novices before training. After training, the findings suggest that similar brain networks underlie task execution regardless of expertise, as there are no more differences between the groups. However, musicians outperformed novices both before and after training in the tonal working memory task, suggesting no transfer effects occur from musical training to a cognitive domain related to auditory processing. These three studies show that the neuroplastic processes related to piano training affect mostly the motor networks and auditory-motor integration with limited impact on auditory processing. The motor and auditory-motor integration networks demonstrate substantial and dynamic adaptations in response to piano training. The complexity of the observed adaptations emphasises the importance of ecologically valid training paradigms and longitudinal designs with multiple measurements to capture the intricacies of brain plasticity during real-world skill learning, which relies on coordinated involvement of multiple brain systems.