Mechanisms of rhythm perception

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Moving to a musical beat is one of myriad human behaviours that rely on regularity (e.g., walking, talking, turn-taking), but the mechanisms underlying our sensitivity to a regular beat are still a mystery. Beat perception occurs spontaneously, without effort, when we listen to rhythmic sequences of time intervals. Existing models of time perception cannot account for many features of beat perception, and behavioural evidence suggests that humans may have a unique beat-based timing system. My research seeks to characterize this system. Thus far, my research indicates a link between beat perception and movement: brain areas that control movement are activated when we hear rhythm, and certain motor areas respond specifically during beat perception, even when no movement is made. I aim to: i) develop tools to assess beat perception independently from beat production, ii) characterize the timecourse of the motor system’s role in beat perception, and iii) combine brain stimulation and imaging methods to understand the causal roles of specific motor areas in rhythm and beat perception.