Scientists in the US have discovered for the first time in the human brain neurons that seem to be exclusively involved in processing the song. In the past, neurons specialized in speech and music were found, but now neurons specifically for song have also come to light.
The researchers, led by neuroscientist Dr. Sam Norman-Haignere of the University of Rochester in New York, published their findings in the journal Current Biology, according to New Scientist and the British Guardian, and recorded electrical activity in auditory cortex of the brain of 15 people who listened to 165 different sounds (songs, music, speech, animal voices, toilet bowl, dog barking, etc.). Participants already had electrodes on their heads because they were being treated for epilepsy at the hospital.
In this way, with the help of a special computer algorithm, the scientists identified brain cells that respond almost exclusively to song. Researchers have found that song neurons also have a very small response to speech and music.
Previously, the scientists studied the brains of 30 other people with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), who also listened to various sounds, which helped them to “map” song neurons in the auditory cortex, in an area approximately between the neurons that respond to speech and to those of music.
It is not clear why neurons evolved in humans specifically for song. One possible explanation is that the song played an important role in the evolution of music. Researchers estimate that most people probably have such song neurons, and not just those who are often exposed to music and song training.
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