Musicianship and active musical engagement predict facilitation of auditory-motor plasticity: evidence from auditory-motor paired associative stimulation
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Background and Aim
Auditory–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.
Method
Sixteen 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.
Results
A 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 R 2 = 0.204), without interaction: musicians exhibited smaller facilitation than non-musicians, and higher Active Engagement predicted greater facilitation across groups.
Discussion
The 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.
Conclusion
Under 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.
