The ability to move in synchrony with a beat is crucial for musical performance and is linked to reading ability, but why individuals differ in this ability is unknown. The authors found a correlation between accuracy in tapping to a beat and variability in the electrophysiological response to sound in the inferior colliculus (IC). These findings suggest that consistency in the timing of the IC response to sound may underlie beat synchronization ability.
References
Tierney, A. & Kraus, N. The ability to move to a beat is linked to the consistency of neural responses to sound. J. Neurosci. 33, 14981–14988 (2013)
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Whalley, K. Keeping the beat. Nat Rev Neurosci 14, 741 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3625
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3625