Sciences cognitives et traditions d’enseignement oral de la musique classique indienne

La musique classique indienne est l’une des plus anciennes traditions musicales au monde et c’est une tradition orale. Plusieurs techniques et méthodes d’enseignement lui sont spécifiques, notamment la tradition d’enseignement maître-élève (Guru-Shishya Parampara), qui a toujours été considérée comme un élément crucial de cet enseignement depuis ses origines à l’ère védique (environ 5 000 ans av. J.-C.). Le guru joue un rôle majeur en transmettant non seulement son savoir technique sur le sujet, mais également ce qui constitue l’essence même de la musique classique indienne, à savoir sa dimension spirituelle. Des travaux de recherche plus systématiques sur cette tradition musicale et ses méthodes d’enseignement spécifiques pourraient permettre d’éclairer d’un jour nouveau la compréhension de ses bénéfices globaux dans une perspective psychosociale et neuroscientifique.Indian classical music (ICM) is one of the oldest musical traditions. It is an oral tradition. Various techniques and methods are unique to this oral method of teaching and the Guru–Shishya (teacher–student) tradition of teaching has been considered crucial since its origins in the Vedic era (c.5000 BC). The Guru plays the key role in passing on not just the technical knowledge of the subject but the true essence of ICM – spirituality. Systematic research on ICM and its unique methods of teaching can shed new light on understanding its overall benefits from a psychological and neuroscientific perspective.La música clásica india es una de las más antiguas tradiciones musicales en el mundo y es una tradición oral. Varias técnicas y métodos de enseñanza son específicos de ésta, especialmente la tradición de enseñanza maestro-discípulo (Guru-Shishya Parampara), que siempre ha sido considerada como un elemento crucial de esta enseñanza desde sus orígenes en la era védica (alrededor de 5000 antes de Cristo). El Gurú desempeña un papel mayor al transmitir no sólo su saber técnico sobre el tema, sino también lo que constituye la esencia misma de la música clásica india, a saber su dimensión espiritual. Unos trabajos de investigación más sistemáticos sobre esta tradición musical y sus métodos de enseñanza específicas permitirían echar nueva luz sobre la comprensión de sus beneficios globales en una perspectiva psicosocial y neurocientífica

Anti-Colonial Strategies in Cross-cultural Music Science Research

This paper presents a critical analysis of ethical and methodological issues within cross-cultural music science research, including issues around community based research, participation, and data sovereignty. Although such issues have long been discussed in social science fields including anthropology and ethnomusicology, psychology and music cognition are only beginning to take them into serious consideration. This paper aims to fill that gap in the literature, and draw attention to the necessity of critically considering how implicit cultural biases and pure positivist approaches can mar scientific investigations of music, especially in a cross-cultural context. We focus initially on two previous papers (Jacoby et al., 2020; Savage et al., 2021) before broadening our discussion to critique and provide alternatives to scientific approaches that support assimilation, extractvism, and universalism. We then discuss methodological considerations around crosscultural research ethics, data ownership, and open science and reproducibility. Throughout our critique, we offer many personal recommendations to crosscultural music researchers, and suggest a few larger systemic changes

Globally, songs and instrumental melodies are slower, higher, and use more stable pitches than speech: a registered report

Both music and language are found in all known human societies, yet no studies have compared similarities and differences between song, speech, and instrumental music on a global scale. In this Registered Report, we analyzed two global datasets: (i) 300 annotated audio recordings representing matched sets of traditional songs, recited lyrics, conversational speech, and instrumental melodies from our 75 coauthors speaking 55 languages; and (ii) 418 previously published adult-directed song and speech recordings from 209 individuals speaking 16 languages. Of our six preregistered predictions, five were strongly supported: Relative to speech, songs use (i) higher pitch, (ii) slower temporal rate, and (iii) more stable pitches, while both songs and speech used similar (iv) pitch interval size and (v) timbral brightness. Exploratory analyses suggest that features vary along a “musi-linguistic” continuum when including instrumental melodies and recited lyrics. Our study provides strong empirical evidence of cross-cultural regularities in music and speech

A Systematic Chart Review of Adults with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Data from a Tertiary Care Psychiatry Center in India

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an understudied construct in the psychiatric setting. The majority of existing Indian studies on PTSD focus on the general population or disaster-stricken communities. Here, we present data from a five-year retrospective chart review from a tertiary care psychiatric center in India. Methods: Medical records of adult patients (≥18 years) who had attended psychiatry outpatient services between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2020 (five years) and were diagnosed with PTSD, as per ICD-10 criteria, were reviewed ( n = 113). The relevant sociodemographic and clinical details were extracted using a semistructured pro forma. Results: The percentage of adult patients with PTSD diagnosis in the five years was 0.22%. PTSD was more common in females (n = 65, 57.5%). Most patients had interpersonal trauma (n = 85, 75.2%), specifically sexual abuse (n = 47, 41.6%).The median age of onset was 22 years. All the patients had re-experiencing symptoms, with an equally high rate of avoidance (n = 109, 96.5%) and arousal symptoms (n = 110, 97.3%). 82%(93) had a comorbid psychiatric disorder, with mood disorder being the most common (n = 44, 38.9%). Males had a higher rate of comorbid substance use disorder (n = 14, 29.2%) and depression (n = 20, 42%), and females had a higher rate of comorbid dissociative disorder (n = 13, 20%). Most of the patients received non-trauma-focused psychological interventions, and only 18% (20) received evidence-based trauma-focused psychological interventions. Conclusion: Interpersonal trauma, specifically sexual abuse, largely contributes to PTSD among adults attending psychiatric services. The need for trauma-focused psychological interventions is underscored

Cross-cultural Perception of Musical Similarity Within and Between India and Japan

Cross-cultural perception of musical similarity is important for understanding musical diversity and universality. In this study we analyzed cross-cultural music similarity ratings on a global song sample from 110 participants (62 previously published from Japan, 48 newly collected from musicians and non-musicians from north and south India). Our pre-registered hypothesis that average Indian and Japanese ratings would be correlated was strongly supported ( r  = .80, p  < .001). Exploratory analyses showed that ratings from experts in Hindustani music from the north and Carnatic music from the south showed the lowest correlations ( r  = .25). These analyses suggest that the correlations we found are likely due more to shared musical exposure than to innate universals of music perception

Cross-cultural perception of musical similarity within and between India and Japan

Cross-cultural perception of musical similarity is important for understanding musical diversity and universality. In this study we analyzed cross-cultural music similarity ratings on a global song sample from 110 participants (62 previously published from Japan, 48 newly collected from musicians and non-musicians from north and south India). Our pre-registered hypothesis that average Indian and Japanese ratings would be correlated was strongly supported (r = .80, p &lt; .001). Exploratory analyses showed that ratings from experts in Hindustani music from the north and Carnatic music from the south showed the lowest correlations (r = .25). These analyses suggest that the correlations we found are likely due more to shared musical exposure than to innate universals of music perception

Cognitive profile and structural findings in Wilson's disease: A neuropsychological and MRI-based study

Background: Systematic studies on neuropsychological profile in patients with Wilson′s disease (WD) are far and few. Aim: To examine the profile of cognitive deficits and their magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in patients with WD. Patients and Methods: Twelve confirmed patients of WD (age at onset and evaluation, 13.7±11.2 and 21.7±5.3 years, respectively; M-F ratio, 7:5) on de-coppering therapy constituted the study sample. Battery of neuropsychological tests measuring mental speed, motor speed, sustained attention, focused attention, verbal category fluency, verbal working memory, response inhibition, planning, concept formation, set-shifting ability, verbal and visual learning and memory were administered. Phenotypic details and observations on MRI of brain carried out within six months of neuropsychological assessment were documented. Results: Neuropsychological assessment elicited cognitive deficits in multiple domains in all but one patient, who had normal MRI. Percentage of patients in the deficit range in various domains included: motor speed: 73%; verbal working memory, sustained and focused attention: 50%; verbal learning: 42%; visuo-constructive ability, verbal memory, mental speed: 33%-34%; verbal fluency, set-shifting ability, visual memory, verbal memory: 25%-27%; and verbal recognition: 17%. MRI was normal in three patients, and revealed variable abnormalities in the remaining: cerebral atrophy in 3; brainstem atrophy in 2; signal changes in basal ganglia in 9; and brainstem signal changes in 5. None had subcortical white matter changes. Two patients with normal MRI showed cognitive deficits. Conclusion: This study provides insight into the complex cognitive and brain changes observed on MRI in WD. Use of advanced MRI techniques in a larger cohort may improve understanding regarding functional and structural brain changes observed in similar disorders