Okhrey A. Interhemispheric interaction of the brain of musicians and non-musicians in a resting state and during mental activity

It is known, that regular musical training might have a positive influence on human cognitive abilities. However, the neurophysiological nature of such "cognitive enhancement" of musicians has not been fully understood. The aim of this dissertation work was to find out the features of interhemispheric interaction during the processing of information in musicians and non-musicians during fulfillment of cognitive tasks for working memory and voluntary attention. It is assumed, that a lower level of functional asymmetry and tighter interhemispheric interaction might be one of the neurophysiological bases of enhancement of cognitive functions in musicians as compared to non-musicians. To achieve this aim a set of psychophysiological tests to assess working memory, as well as Stroop tests (direct, reverse and with stimuli localization) for voluntary attention were used. Participants provided their responses with both hands, which allowed us to track functional asymmetry by latent periods of sensorimotor reactions. In addition, the method of cognitive event-related potentials was applied, which allows to register and evaluate electrophysiological correlations of information processing in both hemispheres