17:00 - 18:00
Studying the effects of musical expertise on cognition offers a unique window on brain plasticity. In particular, the absolute ear, which consists in identifying and producing an isolated note, represents a unique opportunity to establish the links between genes, environment (musical and linguistic), brain and behavior. The absolute ear is one of the few musical skills whose functional mechanisms, neural correlates, genetic basis and environmental influence, like the mastery of a tonal language, are known today. This ability, specific to the musician, allows us to better grasp the nature of the interactions that occur between genes and environment in general development, but also in understanding the neurobiological bases of individual differences.
