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Effects of dopaminergic and subthalamic stimulation on musical performance

  • Neurology and Preclinical Neurological Studies - Short communication
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Abstract

Although subthalamic-deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) is an efficient treatment for Parkinson’s disease (PD), its effects on fine motor functions are not clear. We present the case of a professional violinist with PD treated with STN-DBS. DBS improved musical articulation, intonation and emotional expression and worsened timing relative to a timekeeper (metronome). The same effects were found for dopaminergic treatment. These results suggest that STN-DBS, mimicking the effects of dopaminergic stimulation, improves fine-tuned motor behaviour whilst impairing timing precision.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by an EBRAMUS grant to FTV (ITN MC FP7, GA 238157). We thank Dr. André Lee for helpful comments and discussions concerning the musical evaluation paradigm and Patricia Doucelance for help with the musical recordings.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Music Physiology and Musicians’ Medicine, Hannover University of Music, Drama and Media, Hannover, Germany

    Floris T. van Vugt & Eckart Altenmüller

  2. Lyon Neuroscience Research Center CNRS-UMR 5292, INSERM U1028, University Lyon-1, Lyon, France

    Floris T. van Vugt

  3. Département de Neurologie, Centre d’Investigation Clinique CIC-9503, Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, Université Pierre et Marie Curie—Paris 6 et INSERM, CHU Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France

    Michael Schüpbach & Thomas D. Hälbig

  4. DBS-Unit, Movement Disorders Center, Department of Neurology, University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland

    Michael Schüpbach

  5. Centre de NeuroImagerie de Recherche, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, Université Pierre et Marie Curie—Paris 6 UMR-S975, INSERM U975, CNRS UMR7225, CHU Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France

    Eric Bardinet

  6. Centre de Recherche de l’Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie—Paris 6 UMR-S975, INSERM U975, CNRS UMR7225, CHU Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France

    Jérôme Yelnik

  7. Department of Neurology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Thomas D. Hälbig

  8. Department of Neurology, Charité—University Medical Center, Augustenburger Platz, 13353, Berlin, Germany

    Thomas D. Hälbig

Authors
  1. Floris T. van Vugt
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  2. Michael Schüpbach
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  3. Eckart Altenmüller
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  4. Eric Bardinet
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  5. Jérôme Yelnik
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  6. Thomas D. Hälbig
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thomas D. Hälbig.

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van Vugt, F.T., Schüpbach, M., Altenmüller, E. et al. Effects of dopaminergic and subthalamic stimulation on musical performance. J Neural Transm 120, 755–759 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-012-0923-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-012-0923-7

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