Biology subjects

Sata, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Sata, S..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Musicianship and active musical engagement predict facilitation of auditory-motor plasticity: evidence from auditory-motor paired associative stimulation

Background and AimAuditory-motor paired associative stimulation (PAS) probes experience-dependent plasticity in auditory-motor circuits. We tested whether musical experience and musical sophistication modulate PAS-induced facilitation when instrument tones are paired with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the left primary motor cortex. MethodSixteen musicians and thirteen non-musicians completed two sessions. Session 1 estimated an individualized inter-stimulus interval (ISI) by testing seven tone-TMS delays (25-300 ms). Session 2 applied PAS at the optimal ISI. Corticospinal excitability was assessed by motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) from right first dorsal interosseus at baseline and post-intervention. Group comparisons and a stepwise multiple regression with Goldsmiths Musical Sophistication Index (Gold-MSI) subscales evaluated predictors of the PAS effect. ResultsA stepwise multiple regression model selected "Group" and "Active Engagement" (Gold-MSI Factor 1) as independent predictors (F (2,26) = 4.59, p = 0.020, adjusted R2 = 0.204), without interaction: musicians exhibited smaller facilitation than non-musicians, and higher Active Engagement predicted greater facilitation across groups. DiscussionThe lack of facilitation in musicians contrasts with somatosensory PAS reports of enhanced plasticity in experts. A modality-specific ceiling effect may contribute, whereby long-term training optimizes auditory-motor transmission, reducing headroom for facilitation. The association with Active Engagement suggests motivational/reward mechanisms--potentially dopaminergic-- gate responsiveness to auditory-motor PAS. ConclusionUnder this protocol, auditory-motor PAS with instrument tones facilitated corticospinal excitability in non-musicians but not in musicians. Individual differences in Active Engagement predicted facilitation, indicating that both group membership and active musical engagement shape susceptibility to auditory-motor associative plasticity.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Lower-Limb Muscle Synergies in Musician's Dystonia: A Case Study of a Drummer

Musicians dystonia (MD) is a movement disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions specifically triggered by playing an instrument. This condition often leads to a loss of fine motor control, threatening the careers of affected musicians. While MD is commonly associated with the hands, it can also affect the lower limbs, particularly in drummers. Understanding the muscle coordination involved in MD is crucial for comprehending its neurological mechanisms, yet the muscle coordination of lower-limb dystonia has not been thoroughly explored. This study aimed to investigate the differences in lower-limb muscle synergies in a drummer with MD, utilizing Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) to analyze coordinated muscle activity patterns during drumming tasks. A 36-year-old male professional drummer with lower-limb MD was instructed to play a drum set in time with a metronome set at 80 beats per minute. The task involved striking the bass drum pedal in time with the downbeat. Electromyographic (EMG) data were collected from ten muscles in the right lower limb. The data were analyzed using NMF to extract muscle synergies and compare the number of synergies, spatial modules, and temporal modules between the data with and without dystonia symptoms. The number of muscle synergies did not differ significantly between the data with and without symptoms. Notably, changes were observed in both the spatial and temporal modules of muscle synergies. Spatial modules revealed the appearance of dystonia-specific muscle synergy, which is considered related to compensatory movement. Temporal modules showed significant earlier overactivation in timing, which is considered the direct manifestation of dystonia symptoms. These findings indicate that lower-limb dystonia in drummers affects the spatial and temporal profiles of muscle synergies. This study underscores the importance of considering both spatial and temporal modules of muscle synergy in understanding and treating lower-limb dystonia in drummers. Further research is needed to validate these findings and apply muscle synergy analysis for the clinical assessment of lower-limb dystonia in drummers.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Drumming Performance and Underlying Muscle Activities in a Professional Rock Drummer with Lower-Limb Dystonia: A Case Study

Task-specific focal dystonia (TSFD), characterized by the loss of fine motor control and coordination, affects drummers lower-limb movements, yet it remains relatively understudied, leaving a gap in understanding its effects on drumming performance and underlying muscle activities. This study explores lower limb dystonias impact on drumming performance and underlying muscle activity in a professional rock drummer. The drummer executed an eight-beat pattern on a drum kit, emphasizing kicking the bass drum on the initial beat and performing syncopation of the third beat. Dystonia symptoms primarily manifested in the initial beat, with fewer symptoms on syncopation of the third beat. Analysis revealed decreased bass-drum sound peak amplitude during the initial beat and increased (becoming more negative) synchronization error. Electromyographic (EMG) measurements of ten muscles in the affected right lower limb showed significant changes in the Biceps Femoris (BF), Tibialis Anterior (TA), Extensor Digitorum Longus (EDL), and Extensor Digitorum Brevis (EDB) muscles during symptom onset. Notably, we observed 1) earlier overactivation of the TA and EDL muscles during the leg lift-up motion or preparatory phase of pedaling, 2) reduced activation of the EDB muscle, and 3) increased activation of the BF muscle during the final pedaling movement when symptoms occurred. These findings suggest that lower-limb dystonia symptoms are characterized by a reduction in amplitude and an increase in synchronization error, potentially due to premature overactivation of the ankle dorsiflexor muscles.

neuroscience↗