William Wedmedyk

Intro to Neuroscience of Music

Professor Steven Cahn
February 1, 2015
Elmer AP Article
The abstract presents a brief overview of previously assumed
neural activities indicative of absolute pitch. Unlike previously found
material, this study is attempting to combine previously assumed
contradictory theories: categorical labeling, and pitch labeling. The
abstract clearly presents its study as new evidence regarding
possibilities in identifying absolute pitch in subjects. It goes on to
propose that their study has found it possible to identify the neural
markers in absolute pitch in about three minutes of resting state
measurements.
The introduction provides adequate background to inform the
reader of the motivation behind the study, and also provides historical
perspective for the new evidence discovered. Most importantly, it
poses knowledge gaps in previously made studies, which act as clear
motivators for pursuing the study at hand. The study continues by
explaining the materials and methods used for the study. The details
specified are exceptional in their specificity and methodical approach.
The material provided all seem clear enough to recreate, and thorough
enough to provide insight into the subjects mental capacity and
cognitive functions. Although they do not provide explanations of
alternative methods that could be used in place of the ones chosen,
the care taken by the authors to provide detailed explanations of their
processes provide a concise and unsuspicious approach to the study. In
regards to specific methods used, they explain that the motivations of
their scans are centered on previously performed studies to either
corroborate or contradict those findings. Although this is true, they fail
to mention any shortcomings of their approach.
The objectives of the study were clearly met with the methods
used, and although they do not mention contradictory evidence, their
presentation of their data does not present itself in a suspicious
manner. The tables provided all stand-alone by providing clear
explanations of the data being presented. There is transparent use of
sources and references throughout the article that provide concise
background to the studies and information at hand. Additionally, in a
list of roughly 50-100 references, they also do not over cite
themselves. They only provide about 10 publications of their own,
while the rest are overwhelmingly of other origin. Also, the frequent

citing of previous studies provides us with clear insight and context on

the results and intentions of these studies. In its conclusion, the study
successfully proposes a holistic view of the brain mechanisms used in
absolute pitch brain behavior. The authors even close with a proposal
of their own knowledge gap when they state certainly, the influences
of autobiographical and genetic features on this specific
spatiotemporal coupling mechanism, and its relationships to functional
and structural plasticity, have to be described in more detail.