23.01.2019The drumming brain – how drumming alters the brain

Dr. rer. nat. Lara Schlaffke, AG Neuroplastizität, Neurologische Klinik und Poliklinik, BG Universitätsklinikum Bergmannsheil GmbH

As a rule, people can perform fine motor tasks with either the left or the right hand very well. Professional drummers however possess the extraordinary ability to play different rhythms at very high speed with both arms and legs. Neuroscientists call this ability hand decoupling. Through years of training the musicians alter their brain structure- and function. That is, why drummers are a good example to study the mechanisms of hand decoupling in the brain. The presentation will discuss which aspects of the normal brain play an important role in motor function and which changes, by contrast, are found in the brains of drummers.