Neurophysiology of Reciprocal Influence of Cognition and Emotion in Pianistic Performances

Abstract

AbstractPiano performance is a complex domain that involves the integration of various skills, including motor, perceptual, cognitive, and emotional abilities. However, research in neuroscience and music cognitive psychology suggests that this integration of distinct abilities may not occur spontaneously, and there may be a mutual attenuation relationship between cognition and emotion. An investigation comparing piano performances focusing attention on cognitive or affective aspects revealed a reciprocal inhibitory influence between them. Analysis of specific musical features, performance mistakes, and comments demonstrated more expressiveness features, as well as inhibition of executive skills and motor control in the piano execution with attention focusing on emotional aspects. In contrast, attention to cognitive aspects of the performances constrained both automatism and expressiveness. In this study, we used fMRI to investigate neural systems concerning cognition and emotion reciprocal modulation in piano performances. Comparing brain activity between performances in cognitive minus affective conditions indicated greater activity in the central executive network (CEN), pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA), supplementary motor area (SMA), language, and visual areas. The contrast of affective minus cognitive condition demonstrated greater activity in the anterior medial prefrontal cortex and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The results support the notion of dual meta-systems relying on explicit and implicit neural circuits, respectively, and corroborate the existence of cognitive and emotional reciprocal attenuation influence in pianistic performances.