Frontoparietal network topology as a neuromarker of music perceptual abilities

Abstract Why are some humans more musical than others? Neither fully cognitive testing nor classical localizationist neuroscience alone can provide the whole picture. Here we test how the interplay of brain organization and cognitive function delivers graded perceptual abilities in a distinctively human capacity. Our network-based study tests how human connectome variations affect music perception. We analyze multimodal magnetic resonance imaging, cognitive, and behavioral data from 200+ participants, focusing on a working memory network encompassing prefrontal and posterior parietal regions. Using graph theory, we examine structural and functional connectomes' organization in relation to musical scores. Results reveal a positive correlation between perceptual abilities and the integration efficiency of key frontoparietal regions. The linkage between functional networks and musical abilities is mediated by working memory processes, whereas structural networks influence these abilities through sensory integration. Our work lays a solid groundwork for future investigations into the neurobiological roots of musical culture(s).