From empirical brain networks towards modeling music perception -- a perspective

Abstract: This perspective article investigates how auditory stimuli influence neural network dynamics using the FitzHugh-Nagumo (FHN) model and empirical brain connectivity data. Results show that synchronization is sensitive to both the frequency and amplitude of auditory input, with synchronization enhanced when input frequencies align with the system's intrinsic frequencies. Increased stimulus amplitude broadens the synchronization range governed by a delicate interplay involving the network's topology, the spatial location of the input, and the frequency characteristics of the cortical input signals. This perspective article also reveals that brain activity alternates between synchronized and desynchronized states, reflecting critical dynamics and phase transitions in neural networks. Notably, gamma-band synchronization is crucial for processing music, with coherence peaking in this frequency range. The findings emphasize the role of structural connectivity and network topology in modulating synchronization, providing insights into how music perception engages brain networks. This perspective article offers a computational framework for understanding neural mechanisms in music perception, with potential implications for cognitive neuroscience and music psychology.