NeuroMusic
What is the best music to support human physical activities such as running and walking? In collaboration with ORPHE Inc. we are currently researching the automatic generation of the best music to support running. In this project, we will scientifically study the differences in running gait, subjective fatigue, comfort, and exercise motivation between non-music listening and various-types of music listening. If you are interested in working on this research project, I recommend that you read the website of ORPHE Inc. and the paper that investigates the effect of different music genres on the feeling of effort during running.
Focal dystonia is a neurological disorder that causes involuntary and persistent muscle contractions. Although focal dystonia is often seen in musicians, dystonia research on drummers is very limited, and there are many unknown factors, neural mechanisms, and treatment methods for the disease. In this research project, we will study dystonia in drummers together with professional drummers. If you are interested in working on this research project, we recommend that you read this article in advance, as well as read the paper on the dystonia diagnosis and treatment carefully.
The term "Groove" refers to the sensation of pleasurable feeling when listening to music and wanting to move one's body. However, the details of what kind of time fluctuations and rhythm patterns make us feel "groovy" are still unknown. In this research, we will study what kind of rhythm elicits the "groove" feelings in humans. Those who wish to work on this research project are encouraged to read Fujii's review article on groove. in advance.
World's Fastest Drummer EMS Research WFD EMS Project
The current Guinness World Record for the fastest two-handed drumming is 1208 beats per minute. In this project, in collaboration with Dr. Pedro Lopes at the University of Chicago, we will attempt to reproduce the muscle activity of the world's fastest drummers using Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) technology to win the world's fastest drummer contest. Those who wish to work on this research project are encouraged to read Fujii's World's Fastest Drummer paper beforehand.
ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) is a response or sensation that a person feels when stimulated by auditory or visual stimuli, such as a pleasant feeling or a thrill in the brain. In this project, we will study how human cognitive and motor functions are changed by listening to binaural and ASMR sounds that rotate and move in the close area of one's head. Those who want to work on this research project are recommended to read the binaural papers of Fujii and Nakatani labs in advance.
Listening to music can make us feel relaxed and healed. However, there are still many unanswered questions about how listening to music changes heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration in humans. In this project, we will study the physiological changes in the human body associated with listening to music, and what kind of music makes people feel more relaxed. Those who wish to work on this research project are encouraged to read the papers on the changes in cardiovascular and respiratory variables associated with music listening in advance.
How is the musician's brain different from the non-musician's brain? Recently, it has been reported that older adults with extensive musical experience perform better on cognitive tasks, such as working memory and executive function, than those with less musical experience. These previous studies suggest that music is useful for improving and maintaining human cognitive functions, but its neurophysiological mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we will cross-sectionally compare the prefrontal glutamate/γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neural functions of musicians and non-musicians using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and a technique for simultaneous measurement of transcranial magnetic stimulation and high-resolution electroencephalography (TMS-EEG) to elucidate the relationship between music and cognitive functions. Those who wish to work on this research project are encouraged to read carefully the research results of the MTR Lab, and the review article on cognitive function in musicians in advance.
What is the origin of human musicality and mind in the brain? What is the relationship between the ability to perceive and produce pitch, rhythm, and harmony of sound and the health of the mind? In this project, in collaboration with the MTR Lab, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Keio University School of Medicine, we will study the relationship between music function and symptoms in psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, mild cognitive impairment, bipolar disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. We are conducting research on the relationship between music function and psychiatric symptoms in psychiatric disorders. Those who wish to work on this research project are encouraged to read the research papers from the MTR Lab and articles on musical abilities of schizophrenic patients in advance.
Music therapy is the intentional and systematic use of music to restore physical and mental health, maintain and improve function, enhance quality of life, and change behavior, using the physiological, psychological, and social functions of music. In recent years, the need for music therapy has been increasing and it is being used in nursing homes and medical facilities, but the lack of scientific evidence is a challenge. Therefore, the development of music therapy based on scientific evidence is needed. In this project, we will scientifically test the effect of music therapy in collaboration with Shirankai Hikarigaoka Hospital in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture. Those who want to work on this research project are recommended to read a paper about Neurologic Music Therapy in advance.
When and at what stage in the developmental process do humans begin to dance to the rhythm of music? In this project, in collaboration with the Laboratory of Developmental Brain Science, Graduate School of Education, the University of Tokyo, we will study the limb movements of infants listening to music and the crying rhythms of infant's vocalizations. Those who want to work on this research project are recommended to read the Fujii's paper on baby dance and and the paper on baby crying in advance.
In collaboration with Yoichi Kitayama, a vocal member in the Gospelers, we will study how inspiring singing can be explained scientifically. For example, we are studying whether songs with high scores in karaoke really touch people's hearts, how much judges are influenced by the appearance of musicians in evaluating music, and developing objective vocal training methods. Those who wish to work on this research project are encouraged to study the basics of speech sound analysis in Matlab in advance.
We research Neurosciences and Music (NeuroMusic) to understand why music is so fundamental to humans. We believe that music can be a prove to identify higher-order brain functions such as skilled motor control and learning, perception, cognition, memory, emotion and creativity in humans. We aim to clarify the origin of our musicality in the brain to augment the possibility of music for harmonious future.
Interests in the Neurosciences of Music has grown rapidly over the last few decades. However, there has been almost no laboratory for this field in Japan, despite a growing recognition of the need to understand the neural origin of our musicality. The NeuroMusicLab at Keio SFC (The Neurosciences and Music Laboratory at Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus) was founded by Dr. Shinya Fujii to address this need.