MÚSICA:: UMA ATIVIDADE PROMISSORA PARA A ESTIMULAÇÃO COGNITIVA

O poder da música foi redescoberto pelas neurociências cognitivas, que atualmente explicam seus fundamentos biológicos graças aos métodos de imagem cerebral. Esse texto aborda como a música, graças a seu potencial, pode contribuir no campo da estimulação cognitiva. Após uma revisão sobre o valor social da estimulação cognitiva para a educação e para a saúde, e em seguidaum breve resumo dos diferentes programas atuais de estimulação cognitiva, o texto apresenta os argumentos que levam a entender a música como uma atividade promissora no sentido de responder a alguns grandes desafios, sobretudo no campo do envelhecimento cognitivo e da patologia cerebral. A música teria agido durante a filogênese como uma “tecnologia transformadora da mente” (Patel 2008). Atualmente ela pode ajudar a retomar tais desafios que se apresentam às sociedades modernas

Expressive suppression and enhancement during music-elicited emotions in younger and older adults

International audienceWhen presented with emotional visual scenes, older adults have been found to be equally capable to regulate emotion expression as younger adults, corroborating the view that emotion regulation skills are maintained or even improved in later adulthood. However, the possibility that gaze direction might help achieve an emotion control goal has not been taken into account, raising the question whether the effortful processing of expressive regulation is really spared from the general age-related decline. Since it does not allow perceptual attention to be redirected away from the emotional source, music provides a useful way to address this question. In the present study, affective, behavioral, and physiological consequences of free expression of emotion, expressive suppression and expressive enhancement were measured in 31 younger and 30 older adults while they listened to positive and negative musical excerpts. The main results indicated that compared to younger adults, older adults reported experiencing less emotional intensity in response to negative music during the free expression of emotion condition. No age difference was found in the ability to amplify or reduce emotional expressions. However, an age-related decline in the ability to reduce the intensity of emotional state and an age-related increase in physiological reactivity were found when participants were instructed to suppress negative expression. Taken together, the current data support previous findings suggesting an age-related change in response to music. They also corroborate the observation that older adults are as efficient as younger adults at controlling behavioral expression. But most importantly, they suggest that when faced with auditory sources of negative emotion, older age does not always confer a better ability to regulate emotions

Empirical evidence for musical syntax processing? Computer simulations reveal the contribution of auditory short-term memory

During the last decade, it has been argued that (1) music processing involves syntactic representations similar to those observed in language, and (2) that music and language share similar syntactic-like processes and neural resources. This claim is important for understanding the origin of music and language abilities and, furthermore, it has clinical implications. The Western musical system, however, is rooted in psychoacoustic properties of sound, and this is not the case for linguistic syntax. Accordingly, musical syntax processing could be parsimoniously understood as an emergent property of auditory memory rather than a property of abstract processing similar to linguistic processing. To support this view, we simulated numerous empirical studies that investigated the processing of harmonic structures, using a model based on the accumulation of sensory information in auditory memory. The simulations revealed that most of the musical syntax manipulations used with behavioral and neurophysiological methods as well as with developmental and cross-cultural approaches can be accounted for by the auditory memory model. This led us to question whether current research on musical syntax can really be compared with linguistic processing. Our simulation also raises methodological and theoretical challenges to study musical syntax while disentangling the confounded low-level sensory influences. In order to investigate syntactic abilities in music comparable to language, research should preferentially use musical material with structures that circumvent the tonal effect exerted by psychoacoustic properties of sounds

L'utilisation de la musique comme support de nouveaux apprentissages dans le vieillisement normal et la maladie d'Alzheimer

L objectif de ce travail de thèse est d évaluer le potentiel de la musique comme support mnémotechnique pour l acquisition de nouvelles informations chez des personnes âgées saines et atteintes de la maladie d Alzheimer (MA). Les bénéfices de la musique sur la cognition ont souvent été mis en évidence, y compris chez des populations âgées ou atteintes de démence. Parallèlement, chez des sujets jeunes, l idée que la musique peut servir de support pour la mémoire a été largement débattue. Pourtant, très peu d études ont posé cette question auprès de populations âgées ou dans la démence, malgré le besoin persistant de stratégies d intervention dans ce domaine. Dans le présent travail, deux études sont menées dans une cohorte de 8 participants atteints d un stade léger de la maladie d Alzheimer, et 7 participants âgés sains appariés en âge et niveau de scolarité. La première étude porte sur la mémoire verbale, et compare l apprentissage et la rétention de paroles (textes inconnus) présentées de manière récitée ou chantée. Lorsque les paroles sont chantées, différents degrés de familiarité de la mélodie sont contrastés. Aussi, l action motrice étant intimement liée à l écoute musicale, nous contrastons deux procédures d apprentissage impliquant (ou non) la production synchronisée des paroles à mémoriser pendant l encodage : le participant est invité à chanter à l unisson avec un modèle (ou à écouter simplement sans chanter). Les résultats de cette étude sont présentés et discutés dans les deux premiers articles de la partie expérimentale. Ils suggèrent globalement que la musique n aide pas l apprentissage en rappel immédiat ; un effet délétère est même observé lorsque la mélodie utilisée est non familière. Par contre, la musique favorise la rétention à long terme des paroles, principalement pour les participants MA. Elle ne semble cependant pas interagir avec la procédure d apprentissage impliquant le chant à l unisson. La seconde étude porte sur l apprentissage de séquences de gestes. Suivant la même logique que dans la première étude, nous explorons l influence d un accompagnement musical (versus apprentissage en silence) et d une procédure d apprentissage avec production synchronisée (versus observation) des gestes durant l encodage. Les résultats (article 3) ne montrent pas non plus d interaction entre l accompagnement et la procédure d apprentissage, mais différents effets de chaque composante sur les deux groupes de participants. Effectuer les gestes en synchronie avec un modèle lors de l encodage est bénéfique pour les sujets Contrôles, mais plutôt délétère pour les participants MA. Par contre, l accompagnement musical favorise davantage l apprentissage chez les sujet MA que chez les Contrôles. En discussion générale, nous discutons les implications de ces résultats pour la neuropsychologie fondamentale et clinique, et proposons notamment différentes recommandations visant à maximiser ces effets et à les rendre pertinents pour l usage thérapeutique en stimulation cognitive.This thesis research aims to test the potential of music as a mnemonic support for new learning in normal elderly and Alzheimer s disease (AD) participants. Several studies have highlighted the beneficial effects of music on cognition in aging and dementia. At the same time, in young adults, the idea that music could serve as a mnemonic support is highly debated. Yet, very few studies addressed this question in aging or dementia. In the present work, we conduct two studies in a cohort of 8 mild Alzheimer s disease and 7 matched control participants. The first study concerns verbal memory, and compares learning and different retention delays of lyrics (unknown texts) that are either spoken or sung. When lyrics are sung, different degrees of melody familiarity are contrasted. Moreover, as motor activity is strongly related to music, we compare two learning procedures that are either synchronized or not with the production of these lyrics during encoding: 1) participants sing in unison with the model or 2) participants hear the model without singing. Results of this study are presented and discussed in the first two articles of the experimental section. Globally, music does not show aid for learning measured in immediate recall; we even observed a harmful effect when lyrics are sung on a non-familiar melody. But music helps long-term retention of lyrics, particularly for AD participants. Nevertheless, music does not clearly interact with learning procedure involving unison singing. The second study of the thesis investigates the learning of gesture sequences. Similarly to the first study, we explore influence of music versus silence as background accompaniment, and synchronized production versus observation of gestures during encoding. Results (article 3) showed again no interaction between background accompaniment and learning procedure, but different effects of each variable on both groups. Learning gestures with synchronized production is beneficial for normal controls, but harmful for AD participants. On the other hand, musical accompaniment led to greater benefit for AD participants than for controls. In the general discussion, we present the implications of these results for fundamental and clinical neuropsychology. We propose some recommendations to maximize these effects and make them relevant for therapeutic care.DIJON-BU Doc.électronique (212319901) / SudocSudocFranceF

Escala multidimensional aplicada a los estudios de apreciación musical

A escala multidimensional (MDS) provém de uma família de técnicas de análise de proximidade de dados, obtida por meio do julgamento do participante que compara vários estímulos em vários traços, concomitantemente. A análise dos julgamentos de proximidade produz um espaço em que pontos representam a relação entre os estímulos em um espaço euclidiano. O ordenamento dos estímulos ao longo das dimensões neste espaço permite que inferências possam ser feitas sobre o universo perceptual subjacente ao grupo de pesquisa. A literatura mostra que a MDS vem ampliando o estudo da música e a mensuração de suas propriedades estruturais.The multidimensional scaling (MDS) originates from a set of techniques for analyzing proximity of data, which is obtained through the judgments of participants who concomitantly compare several stimuli in various dimensions. The analysis of proximity judgments produces an analysis in which points represent the relationship existent between stimuli in a Euclidean space. The configuration of stimuli in the space defined by these dimensions permits to make inferences about the underlying perceptual universe of the studied group. Literature reveals that MDS is enlarging the study of music and the measurement of its structural properties.La escala multidimensional (MDS) deriva de una familia de técnicas de análisis de proximidad de datos. Esta proximidad es obtenida a través del juicio de los participantes que comparan diversos estímulos con varias propiedades, al mismo tiempo. El análisis de la evaluación de proximidad produce un espacio en que los puntos representan la relación entre los estímulos en un espacio euclidiano. La clasificación de los estímulos a lo largo de las dimensiones en este espacio, permite realizar inferencias sobre el universo perceptivo del grupo de investigación. La literatura muestra que la MDS amplía el estudio de la música y la medición de sus propiedades estructurales

L'émotion en partage (approche anthropologique d'une musique tsigane de Roumanie)

Cette étude aborde le thème de l émotion musicale d une perspective anthropologique. Elle se base sur deux hypothèses centrales. La première est que la musique offre un moyen privilégié pour comprendre les émotions au sein d une société donnée. La seconde suppose qu une ethnographie focalisée sur les affects permet d expliquer quelles significations les membres d une communauté accordent à leurs pratiques musicales. Les Tsiganes de Ceuaş, petit village de Transylvanie centrale, disent que la bonne musique est celle qui fait pleurer . Cette expression n a rien d anecdotique : lors des mariages, funérailles, baptêmes, fêtes familiales, les musiciens peuvent pleurer en jouant, tout comme leurs auditeurs en les écoutant. L analyse de ces circonstances de pleurs musicaux aboutit à deux résultats principaux. D une part un modèle qui se base sur trois modes différents de production de l émotion musicale : 1) la fabrication en service professionnel, où il s agit de parvenir à toucher les clients ; 2) l expression à l occasion des fêtes spontanées entre Tsiganes, où les musiciens eux-mêmes pleurent en jouant ; 3) le partage lors des funérailles, où les proches (neamuri) du défunt engagent les éloignés (străini) sur le plan de l affect. D autre part elle permet l identification de trois invariants de l émotion musicale, présents à chaque occasion où l on pleure avec la musique : une esthétique sonore du chagrin (jale) ; des associations entre mélodies et personnes particulières ; et une qualité du sujet (la milă, compassion, pitié ), que les Tsiganes perçoivent comme identitaire. Les acquis du terrain sont interrogés à un niveau théorique, dans l objectif de dégager quelques pistes de réflexion autour de la notion d empathie traduction la plus générale du mot milă et de son utilité dans le domaine musical.This study explores musical emotion from an anthropological perspective. It rests upon two central hypotheses. First, music provides a particularly clear way of understanding how emotions function within a given society. Conversely, an ethnography focused on affects helps us uncover the meanings that community members ascribe to their music.According to the Gypsies of the small central central-Transylvanian villlage of Ceuaá, "music is good when it makes tou cry". This expression is not merely metaphorical: at weddings (Gypsy or otherwise), funerals, baptisms, and other family celebrations, musicians and listeners alike often cry during a performance.Two conclusions may be drawn from an investigation of these musical tears. On the one hand, a tri-partite model emerges of how musical emotion is produced: professional poeisis, whose goal is to move the customers to tears; expression during spontaneous celebrations among Gypsies, in which the musicians themselves cry while playing; and the sharing that takes place during funerals, in which "those who are close" (neamuri) to the deceased person affectively draw in "those who are distant" (străini). On the other hand, three constants of musical emotion are made apparent : 1) the musical aesthetics of grief (jale); 2) associations between melodies and specific persons and 3) and a universal human quality (milă, compassion , pity ) that Gypsies consider to be proper to their culture.All of these findings are brought under a theoretical lens, with the end of clarifying the notion of empathy (which is perhaps the best all-around translation of milă) and how it functions in musical practice.NANTERRE-PARIS10-Bib. élec. (920509901) / SudocSudocFranceF

Contribution à l'implantation de la méthode Lean Six Sigma dans les Petites et Moyennes Entreprises pour l'amélioration des processus

A l image des grands groupes, les PME souhaitent, elles aussi, profiter des méthodes modernes de management pour améliorer leurs processus, leurs performances et leur compétitivité. L intérêt du secteur des PME se porte sur les éléments du concept Lean Six Sigma qui leur semblent appropriés pour réaliser ces objectifs. Après avoir constaté une lacune dans les recherches sur ce sujet et une lacune méthodologique concernant l implémentation du LSS dans les PME, nous proposons une méthodologie de conception, d application et de contrôle du LSS pour ces PME, que nous avons appelée LSS Plutus. Elle est dédiée aux PME de la production et elle prend en compte leur spécificité. Dans ce but, nous avons restreint la boîte à outils traditionnelle du LSS utilisée dans les grands groupes. Nous avons également créé deux variantes pour mettre en œuvre notre méthodologie qui correspondent aux besoins, capacités et maturités différents des PME. Nous avons élaboré des indicateurs, des outils, ainsi qu un guide d application de la méthode LSS pour les PME de la production et sa version informatique en TIBCO. Nous avons décidé de renforcer l efficience des améliorations, en déployant les actions de planification, de standardisation et de pérennisation des changements. Dans ce but, nous proposons de modifier les critères du Modèle d Excellence E.F.Q.M. pour qu elles puissent prendre en compte les conditions de fonctionnement de la méthode LSS dans les PME. La méthodologie proposée a été vérifiée dans deux PME de la production en Pologne et en France, ce qui a confirmé son utilité et son efficacité en termes d amélioration des performances et de développement des organisationsAs well as the large companies, also the small and medium-sized enterprises desire to take advantage of modern management methods to improve their process, their performances and competitiveness. The interest of the SMEs is focused on the elements of the Lean Six Sigma concept that seem to be appropriate to achieve these goals. As we have identified a gap in the research on this topic and a methodological gap about the LSS implementation in the small and medium companies, we propose a methodology that we called LSS Plutus to design, apply and control Lean Six Sigma in the SMEs. It is dedicated to the small and medium production enterprises and it takes into account their specificity. For this purpose, we have limited the traditional LSS toolbox used by the large companies. We have also created two variants to apply our methodology according to the different needs, capacities and maturities of the SMEs. We have developed indicators, tools, as well as a practical guide for applying the LSS for the production SMEs and its computerized version in TIBCO. To enhance the efficiency of the improvements, we have deployed the planning, standardization and sustainability of the changes. For this purpose, we propose to modify the criteria of the EFQM Excellence Model in order to adapt it to the operating conditions of the Lean Six Sigma method in the SMEs. The proposed methodology has been verified in two production SMEs in Poland and in France that confirmed its utility and effectiveness in terms of performance improvement and organizational developmentVILLENEUVE D'ASCQ-ECLI (590092307) / SudocSudocFranceF

Less effort, better results: how does music act on prefrontal cortex in older adults during verbal encoding? An fNIRS study

Several neuroimaging studies of cognitive aging revealed deficits in episodic memory abilities as a result of prefrontal cortex (PFC) limitations. Improving episodic memory performance despite PFC deficits is thus a critical issue in aging research. Listening to music stimulates cognitive performance in several non-purely musical activities (e.g., language and memory). Thus, music could represent a rich and helpful source during verbal encoding and therefore help subsequent retrieval. Furthermore, such benefit could be reflected in less demand of PFC, which is known to be crucial for encoding processes. This study aimed to investigate whether music may improve episodic memory in older adults while decreasing the PFC activity. Sixteen healthy older adults (μ = 64.5 years) encoded lists of words presented with or without a musical background while their dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity was monitored using a eight-channel continuous-wave near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) system (Oxymon Mk III, Artinis, The Netherlands). Behavioral results indicated a better source-memory performance for words encoded with music compared to words encoded with silence (p < 0.05). Functional NIRS data revealed bilateral decrease of oxyhemoglobin values in the music encoding condition compared to the silence condition (p < 0.05), suggesting that music modulates the activity of the DLPFC during encoding in a less-demanding direction. Taken together, our results indicate that music can help older adults in memory performances by decreasing their PFC activity. These findings open new perspectives about music as tool for episodic memory rehabilitation on special populations with memory deficits due to frontal lobe damage such as Alzheimer\u27s patients