Biology subjects

Samma, T.

Publications and source records attributed to Samma, T..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Modulating supplementary motor area excitability enhances groove-related pleasure during music listening

Pleasurable urge to move to music is often referred to as groove. Although previous studies have shown an association between the supplementary motor area (SMA) and the groove experience, its causal role remains unclear. Here, we investigated whether the SMA is causally involved in groove experience during music listening using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. Fifteen healthy participants completed three sessions on separate days: excitatory stimulation (intermittent theta burst stimulation; iTBS) over the SMA, inhibitory stimulation (continuous theta burst stimulation; cTBS) over the SMA, and sham stimulation (iTBS or cTBS) over the vertex. After each stimulation session, participants listened to five high-groove and five low-groove musical excerpts and rated urge-to-move and pleasure on a 0-100 scale. Heart rate was additionally recorded as an exploratory physiological measure during music listening. Linear mixed-effects models (LMM) showed that pleasure ratings, but not urge-to-move ratings, were higher following both iTBS and cTBS compared with sham stimulation. In exploratory LMMs, reduced log-transformed heart rate variability (HRV) significantly predicted higher pleasure ratings. These findings suggest that SMA stimulation modulates the pleasurable component of the groove experience, likely via network-level mechanisms rather than a simple linear relationship between SMA excitability and pleasure. They also raise the possibility that reduced parasympathetic activity, reflected by lower HRV, mediates the stimulation-related increase in musical pleasure. Future studies should investigate the causal roles of other brain regions as well as clarify the directionality between autonomic changes and the groove experience.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Pleasure in groove is associated with neuromelanin levels in the substantia nigra of younger healthy individuals: A neuromelanin-sensitive MRI study

The pleasurable urge to move in response to music is called groove. Prior research has suggested a potential link between groove and dopamine function. However, no studies to date have directly investigated the relationship between the two. Here, we aimed to assess individual dopamine function in the substantia nigra of healthy individuals using neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI), a non-invasive method associated with dopamine function, and to investigate the relationship between the individual dopamine proxy index and sensitivity to the groove experience. In this study, 15 younger (< 48 years) and 16 older ([greater double equals]48 years) healthy individuals participated. Participants listened to ten musical excerpts and rated the groove experience based on "pleasure" and "wanting to move." To assess whether the groove experience is related to NM levels, type of musical excerpts, and sex, we analyzed with linear mixed-effects regression models. The results showed that higher NM levels (p = 0.032) and male sex (p = 0.034) were associated with higher pleasure ratings in the younger group. For the "urge to move" ratings, type of musical excerpts was associated with ratings in both groups (ps < 0.001), where high-groove music (Janata et al., 2012) receiving higher ratings. Taken together, these results suggest that the "pleasure" aspect of the groove experience in younger individuals was related to dopamine levels in the substantia nigra, but may not be associated with the "urge to move." Thus, pleasure and the urge to move are likely to involve distinct dopaminergic pathways and mechanisms, warranting further investigation.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2024

Enhanced Subjective Performance Achievement in Wind Instrument Playing through Positive Memory Recall: Effects of Sympathetic Activation and Emotional Valence

Controlling physiological and psychological states before a performance is essential for professional musicians to realize their full potential. However, the characteristics of the optimal pre-performance state remain unclear. While an increase in sympathetic nervous system activity is typically observed before performance, when associated with anxiety, it can degrade the performance quality. This study examined whether recalling positive autobiographical performance memories enhances subjective performance achievement, accompanied by increased emotional arousal, valence, and autonomic nervous system activity. Thirty-six professional wind instrument players participated in the study. Prior to performing musical pieces, participants engaged in one of three conditions: (1) recalling positive autobiographical memories, (2) recalling negative autobiographical memories, or (3) imagining routine pre-performance activities (no-memory condition). During the memory recall phase, heart rate was measured. After each performance, participants rated their subjective arousal, valence, and performance achievement. We calculated the heart rate variability indices, specifically SD1 (reflecting parasympathetic nervous system activity) and SD2/SD1 (reflecting sympathetic nervous system activity). The results showed that performance achievement, arousal, and valence were significantly higher in the positive than in the negative condition. Our path analysis further revealed that an increase in SD2/SD1 did not directly predict performance achievement; instead, it was associated with an increase in emotional valence, which in turn led to improved performance. These findings suggest that recalling positive performance memories activates sympathetic nervous system activity and fosters positive emotions, thereby enhancing the performance achievement of professional musicians.

neuroscience↗