Experts from MIT recently presented a study in which they identified a neuron in epilepsy patients that only responds to singing. The data was collected from patients with epilepsy who were tested with singing.
It was found that the brain cells react solely to singing and not by instrumental music or any other form of sound.
The recent findings of MIT scholars could pave the way for discovering effective treatments for epilepsy patients. The study could also benefit the current development of therapy for patients who only rely on music to reduce their seizures.
Neurons That Only Respond to Singing
CANTERBURY, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 27: Rosie Aldridge from Glyndebourne tests the acoustics on stage in the main auditorium during the first viewing of the interior at the new Marlowe Theatre September 27, 2011, in Canterbury, England. The historic theatre will open its doors on Tuesday 4 October, marking the completion of a two-and-a-half-year, £25.6 million development project.
MIT and University of Rochester's brain and cognitive sciences expert Sam Norman-Haignere, who was also the lead author of the study, said in an Engadget report that their research presents supportive data that explains how the auditory cortex functions and its correlation with the intuitive distinction to music.
The study was made possible through the help of 15 epilepsy patients. Each of the individuals consented to be administered with electrode implants on their skulls.
Throughout the experiments, the subjects were given time to listen to a series of different sounds. The clips included various pieces, all from natural to synthesized. While they were listening to each of the sounds, the authors monitored the brains of the patients through functional magnetic resonance or fMRI.
The observation from the participants revealed how the neurons located in the auditory cortex had responded to each sound relayed. A previous test similar to the recent study was performed in 2015 due to the assumption that there are specific brain cells that respond exclusively to music.
According to the authors, the brain cells had a mild response when the patient heard human voices. The reaction increased when the audio played vocal music. The expert concluded a special subset of the neurons next to the normal brain cells, which are eventually excited once the epilepsy patient processes a singing voice.
Music and Auditory Cortex Brain Cells in Epilepsy Patients
Norman-Haignere said that usually, just one population of neurons reacts during singing. Nearby this cluster is a separate population that responds intensely when the brain's auditory functions are exposed to the sound.
The fMRI imaging shows a much closer scale that is hard to disentangle. However, the intracranial recordings reveal an additional resolution to the scans, which helped the team categorize the brain cell groups apart from their reactions, Norman-Haignere adds.
The findings could be utilized to broaden our understanding of the links between music and epilepsy. However, it is commonly beneficial for most patients if they hear particular sounds, where seizures are triggered by specific music.
Previous reports have shown that some types of music, like Mozart's Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major K448, can assist patients in preventing seizures or calming down during an attack.
The study was published in the journal Current Biology, titled "A neural population selective for song in human auditory cortex."
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