The researchers used electroencephalography (EEG) and pupillometry to reveal the temporal signatures of the brain processes that allow the differentiation.
The study used electroencephalography (EEG) and pupillometry to reveal the temporal signatures of the brain processes that allow the differentiation.
According to report titled “Rapid Brain Responses to Familiar vs. Unfamiliar Music – an EEG and Pupillometry study” the results of study revealed that snippets from a familiar and unfamiliar song are differentiated rapidly in the brain.
Even though only unique, randomly interleaved, snippets were presented, significant differences between responses were revealed from ~100–300 ms from sound onset. Initially, this was reflected by increased pupil dilation rate to the snippets from the familiar song, the study said.
EEG responses differentiated from 350 ms after onset and recruited similar mechanisms to those previously identified in classic “old/new” memory paradigms, it said.
The study also said that both effects were remarkably stable across participants and song material (despite that different songs were used for each main subject).
Due to the brief and random nature of snippet presentation, it is unlikely that these effects reflect recognition of melodic or semantic features but rather rely on a rapid match with a memory template of the familiar piece of music, it added.
