Neural Pathway Specificity for Music Processing

There are two conflicting theories in neuropsychology that attempt to explain music processing in the brain. In a recent review, Peretz and Zatorre (2005) argue that there is evidence that points to the existence of music-specific processing pathways in the brain. Alternatively, an earlier review by Peretz and Hyde (2003) suggests that the brain is not specialized for music, rather, it is specialized to process the fine and coarse acoustic cues related to music and speech. This paper will discuss an analysis of the evidence for both theories in order to determine which theory best accounts for the evidence to date.

Much of the evidence presented by Peretz and Zatorre (2005) surrounds music specificity in the brain, dissociable activities and auditory disorders. Current research suggests that there are neural processing components that are dedicated specifically to processing music (Peretz and Zatorre, 2005). The evidence for these specific processing components comes from the study of auditory disorders. While patients with auditory disorders are able to recognize spoken words, familiar voices and sounds in their environment, they are unable to recognize melodies (Peretz and Zatorre, 2005). Since speech recognition is spared in these patients, this evidence suggests that the damage is to neural processing components that are specific to music.

There are a number of musical abilities related to memory that are clearly dissociable from similar activities involving speech. The processes related to singing, music performance and sight-reading are all functionally and anatomically dissociable from related processes for speech production (Peretz and Zatorre, 2005). Research has found that the verbal production of words is mediated by ...

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...e which neural processing components are uniquely involved in music processing, and which are not. Conversely, the earlier research by Peretz and Hyde (2003) suggests that the differences in music and speech perception come from the perception of acoustic cues. Thus, they conclude that the specificity is in the perception of fine and coarse acoustic cues, rather than in the processing of the music and speech itself. Based on this analysis, and the evidence presented, the earlier research by Peretz and Hyde (2003) provides a stronger basis on which music processing in the brain can be described.

Works Cited

Peretz, I., & Hyde K. (2003). What is specific to music processing? Insights from congenital amusia. TRENDS in Cognitive Science, 7(8), 362-367.

Peretz, I., & Zatorre, R. (2005). Brain organization for music processing. Annual Review of Psychology, 56, 89-114.