Top-down regulation of left temporal cortex by hypnotic amusia for rhythm: a pilot study on mismatch negativity

Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2014;62(2):129-44. doi: 10.1080/00207144.2014.869124.

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of hypnotically induced amusia for rhythm (a condition in which individuals are unable to recognize melodies or rhythms) on mismatch negativity (MMN), 5 highly (HH) and 5 poorly (LH) hypnotizable nonmusician volunteers underwent MMN recording before and during a hypnotic suggestion for amusia. MMN amplitude was recorded using a 19-channel montage and then processed using the low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) to localize its sources. MMN amplitude was significantly decreased during hypnotic amusia (p < .04) only in HH, where the LORETA maps of MMN showed a decreased source amplitude in the left temporal lobe, suggesting a hypnotic top-down regulation of activity of these areas and that these changes can be assessed by neurophysiological investigations.

MeSH terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation
  • Adult
  • Attention / physiology
  • Auditory Perceptual Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Brain Mapping
  • Dominance, Cerebral / physiology*
  • Event-Related Potentials, P300 / physiology*
  • Evoked Potentials, Auditory / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypnosis*
  • Male
  • Pilot Projects
  • Pitch Perception / physiology
  • Suggestion*
  • Temporal Lobe / physiopathology*

Supplementary concepts

  • Tune Deafness