Neural dynamics of predictive timing and motor engagement in music listening

Why do humans spontaneously dance to music? To test the hypothesis that motor dynamics reflect predictive timing during music listening, we created melodies with varying degrees of rhythmic predictability (syncopation) and asked participants to rate their wanting-to-move (groove) experience. Degree of syncopation and groove ratings are quadratically correlated. Magnetoencephalography data showed that while auditory regions track the rhythm of melodies, beat-related 2 Hz activity and neural dynamics at delta (1.4 Hz) and beta (20-30 Hz) rates in the dorsal auditory pathway code for the experience of groove. Critically, the left sensorimotor cortex coordinates these groove-related delta and beta activity. These findings align with the predictions of a neurodynamic model, suggesting that oscillatory motor engagement during music listening reflects predictive timing and is effected by interaction of neural dynamics along the dorsal auditory pathway.

Methods
Participants. 66, 30 and 15 participants (age range: 19-71 years; 77 % females) were recruited for the online, Magnetoencephalography (MEG) and control tapping experiments. The online experiment was accessible for two weeks, with no stopping rule. The MEG experiment followed guidelines of our MEG center (Epileptology and Cerebral Rhythmology Unit from the La Timone hospital, APHM, Marseille (France)), balancing data collection costs with statistical power. All experiments followed the local ethics guidelines from Aix-Marseille University. Informed consent was obtained from all participants before the experiments. All had normal audition and vision and reported no history of neurological or psychiatric disorders. We did not select participants based on musical or dance training and a short survey made at the end of the experiment informed us that none of them were professional musicians. Participants were financially compensated for their time during the MEG experiment.

The behavioural and neurophysiological data were acquired and processed as described in the manuscript.