ID 261 – Motor cortex plasticity after short-term piano training in adults

Objective To study short-term effects of keyboard training in music-naive subjects on motor cortex activity and interhemispheric interactions, using electroencephalography and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Methods Twelve subjects underwent, before and after a two week-piano training: (1) hand-motor function tests: Jamar, grip and nine-hole peg tests (NHPT); (2) electroencephalography, evaluating the mu rhythm task-related desynchronization (TRD) during keyboard performance, and (3) TMS, targeting bilateral abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and abductor digiti minimi (ADM), to obtain duration and area of ipsilateral silent periods (ISP). We included ten controls who also underwent these measurements twice, without training. Results Trained subjects improved keyboard performance and left-hand NHPT scores. Pre-training, ISP durations were asymmetrical (left ISP u003e right ISP). Post-training, right ISP APB increased, leading to symmetric ISP APB . Mu TRD during bimanual performance also became symmetric, more focal and of lower amplitude than in pre-training, owing to decreased activity over ventral premotor cortices. These bilateral modifications correlated with keyboard performance and NHPT scores. No performance or neurohysiological changes were evidenced in controls. Conclusions A 10-day piano-training was associated with rebalanced interhemispheric interactions both at rest and during motor activation. Key message Piano training, in a short timeframe, may reshape local and inter-hemispheric motor cortical circuits.