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bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.09.08.749528

Dopaminergic tone predicts rhythmic temporal attention in Parkinson's disease

Yosef, B.·Balamurugan, B.·Miura, M.·Cross, K.
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Abstract

Beat perception, the ability to perceive and anticipate a regular pulse in music, is thought to depend on the basal ganglia. Dopaminergic signaling is a candidate mechanism given its prominence in basal ganglia circuitry and established function in encoding temporal predictions. Parkinson's disease (PD) provides a model for studying dopaminergic contributions to beat perception. To test the hypothesis that higher dopaminergic tone is associated with better beat perception, we conducted a study in PD patients (n=55) and matched controls (n=53). Participants performed a musical beat perception task, the Beat Drop Alignment Test (BDAT). They also completed a non-timing control task measuring musical pitch perception, the Mistuning Perception Test (MPT). We identified a double dissociation in PD patients: daily dopamine dose was associated with beat perception (r=.37, p=.005) but not pitch perception (r=.12, p=.397), while musical background was associated with pitch perception (r=.55, p<.001) but not beat perception (r=.16, p=.236). Results remained consistent when controlling for disease duration and age. This dissociation suggests the effect of dopamine is specific to beat perception and not reflective of a general improvement in auditory processing. High-dopamine patients outperformed both low-dopamine patients and age-matched controls, and this difference was driven by better detection of on-beat than off-beat events. Together, these results suggest that dopamine is associated with enhanced beat perception, potentially through modulation of temporal attention to expected beat times.

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Yosef, B., Balamurugan, B., Miura, M., Cross, K.. 2026-09-14. Dopaminergic tone predicts rhythmic temporal attention in Parkinson's disease. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.08.749528

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