Stability of Neural Oscillations Supports Auditory-Motor Synchronization

Abstract

Previous findings suggest that auditory-motor synchronization is supported by increased coactivation of auditory and motor brain networks. Here, we compare synchronization accuracy and consistency with the temporal dynamics of neural signals during auditory-motor synchronization. Recurrence quantification analysis, a nonlinear technique for characterizing the temporal dynamics of complex systems, was applied to participants' neurophysiological activity recorded via electroencephalography (EEG) during an auditory-motor synchronization task. Changes in participants' neural predictability and stability were compared with their behavioral synchronization accuracy and consistency. EEG was recorded while participants produced a familiar melody at a comfortable rate as a measure of optimal temporal stability. Then, participants synchronized their taps with an auditory metronome presented at each participant's optimal rate and at rates 15% and 30% slower. EEG-based outcomes of determinism (predictability) and meanline (stability) were compared with behavioral synchronization measures. Participants showed decreased synchronization accuracy and higher EEG-based determinism at slower rates, consistent with lower flexibility. Furthermore, neural stability measures correlated with synchronization consistency across stimulus rates; as neural stability increased, so did behavioral synchronization consistency. Recurrence-based measures of neural stability may indicate a general mechanism supporting the maintenance of auditory-motor synchronization.