Large-scale multi-site study shows no association between musical training and early auditory neural sound encoding

Kelly L. Whiteford (), Lucas S. Baltzell, Matt Chiu, John K. Cooper, Stefanie Faucher, Pui Yii Goh, Anna Hagedorn, Vanessa C. Irsik, Audra Irvine, Sung-Joo Lim, Juraj Mesik, Bruno Mesquita, Breanna Oakes, Neha Rajappa, Elin Roverud, Amy E. Schrlau, Stephen C. Hedger, Hari M. Bharadwaj, Ingrid S. Johnsrude, Gerald Kidd, Anne E. Luebke, Ross K. Maddox, Elizabeth W. Marvin, Tyler K. Perrachione, Barbara G. Shinn-Cunningham and Andrew J. Oxenham
Additional contact information
Kelly L. Whiteford: University of Minnesota
Lucas S. Baltzell: Boston University
Matt Chiu: University of Rochester
John K. Cooper: University of Rochester
Stefanie Faucher: University of Rochester
Pui Yii Goh: University of Minnesota
Anna Hagedorn: Purdue University
Vanessa C. Irsik: University of Western Ontario
Audra Irvine: Carnegie Mellon University
Sung-Joo Lim: Boston University
Juraj Mesik: University of Minnesota
Bruno Mesquita: University of Western Ontario
Breanna Oakes: Purdue University
Neha Rajappa: University of Minnesota
Elin Roverud: Boston University
Amy E. Schrlau: University of Rochester
Stephen C. Hedger: University of Western Ontario
Hari M. Bharadwaj: Purdue University
Ingrid S. Johnsrude: University of Western Ontario
Gerald Kidd: Boston University
Anne E. Luebke: University of Rochester
Ross K. Maddox: University of Rochester
Elizabeth W. Marvin: University of Rochester
Tyler K. Perrachione: Boston University
Barbara G. Shinn-Cunningham: Carnegie Mellon University
Andrew J. Oxenham: University of Minnesota

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract Musical training has been reported to be associated with enhanced neural processing of sounds, as measured via the frequency following response (FFR), implying the potential for human subcortical neural plasticity. We conducted a large-scale multi-site preregistered study (n > 260) to replicate and extend the findings underpinning this important relationship. We failed to replicate any of the major findings selected for replication that were published previously in smaller studies. Musical training was not associated with enhanced neural encoding strength of a speech stimulus (/da/) in babble, whether measured via the spectral or temporal representations of the FFR. Similarly, the strength of neural tracking of a speech sound with a dynamic pitch trajectory was not related to either years of musical training or age of onset of musical training. Our findings provide no evidence for associations between early auditory neural responses and either musical training or musical ability.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-62155-5

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