Amusia is the inability of the brain to perceive different melodies or rhythms.
Next, we review what amusia is, what are its symptoms and the existing types.
What is amusia and how does it manifest?
According to the University of Navarra (CUN) clinic, Amusia is a neurological disorder that prevents the person from recognizing or properly process music. It should not be confused with the lack of musical ear or deafness.
Unlike those who simply define, people with amusia perceive sounds and voices, but cannot identify whether something is challenged or out of tune. In severe cases, they do not even recognize the melodies, and some musical pieces can be annoying or even painful.
CUN says that, since the 1980s, musical neuropsychology has advanced in the understanding of this disorder. While it is considered that it can be relieved by training in young people, in adults it is usually irreversible.
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Most common symptoms
According to the cun, the main signs of amusia include:
• Inability to recognize melodies, rhythms, harmonies or musical timbres.
• Difficulty perceiving whether it is challenged when singing or touching an instrument.
• Emotional rejection of music, which can be unpleasant.
• In severe cases, pain when listening to musical pieces.
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Neurological causes and clinical diagnosis
Many people suffering from amusia do not know, since the disorder can go unnoticed without a specific evaluation.
For its diagnosis, the amusia evaluation protocol of Montreal (MBEA) is used, according to CUN, which examines six areas of the Musical processing: scale, contour, interval, rhythm, metric and musical memory.
Amusia can be caused by anatomical or functional alterations in the brain.
The most frequent is that it affects the non -dominant temporal lobe, although it can also involve the frontal lobe or the auditory cortex. If the lower frontal region is compromised, the affected person can be unable to recognize the lyrics accompanied by music, according to the cun.
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Types of amusia: congenital and acquired
There are two major classifications of the disorder, according to the University of Navarra Clinic:
• Congenital Amusia: of genetic origin, usually manifests from childhood and affects a small part of the population.
• Acquired amusia: appears after a brain injury, usually in the temporal or frontal lobe.
Both types can present different degrees of severity, from slight rhythmic difficulties to a deep inability to process any type of music.
(With EFE information)
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