The causal mechanisms underlying musical improvisation

The gap

Evidence profile

Sourced from the stated research gap and limitations and future-work section of the source papers, classified as general, spanning 3 journals.

Supporting evidence — 4 representative gaps

• TMS–EEG Reveals Causal Dynamics of the Premotor Cortex during Musical Improvisation (2026) · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · doi

  The causal mechanisms underlying musical improvisation remain poorly understood. The functional role of premotor regions in orchestrating improvised versus externally cued motor performance is not well understood. There is a need for a more direct and causal understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying musical improvisation.

  generalstated research gap
  Keywords: causal mechanisms underlying musical improvisation remain poorly understood
• Music–L2 transfer through executive functions: a narrative review with a focus on inhibitory control (2026) · Acta Academiae Beregsasiensis, Philologica · doi

  While both speech and musical performance involve complex motor responses and partially shared neural pathways for sequencing and conceptual processing, their production mechanisms differ in important ways. Language production depends heavily on associative and attentional inhibitory control, whereas expert-level instrumental musical performance is strongly motor-dependent. Consequently, the present analysis suggests that long-term expertise in one domain may not produce a cross-domain advantage specifically through inhibitory control. These findings highlight the need for further research into the distinct cognitive intersections of music and language. The primary focus of this paper is to clarify differences in the neurochemistry and mechanisms of inhibitory control within the broader research area exploring the relationship between musicality and multilingualism. As part of an ongoing long-term study, the authors aim to identify the mechanisms that may enable musically trained individuals to outperform their peers in second language tasks by systematically evaluating several possible explanations. The specific aim of the present paper was to determine whether there is a direct link between enhanced IC developed through instructed classical musical training and instructed L2 acquisition. However, by comparing the mechanisms and neurochemistry of motor-based and language-related inhibitory control, the authors found no sufficient evidence for such a direct link. Therefore, this particular explanation is not considered a strong candidate for further investigation within the present research programme. Music–L2 transfer through executive functions: a narrative review…

  generallimitationsevidence 5/5
  Keywords: mechanisms language inhibitory control musical motor present performance production long term domain further music neurochemistry
• Music–L2 transfer through executive functions: a narrative review with a focus on inhibitory control (2026) · Acta Academiae Beregsasiensis, Philologica · doi

  The paper suggests that future research should investigate the cognitive processes cultivated through music education and their relevance to L2 learning. The authors propose exploring the role of general cognitive engagement, auditory sensitivity, pattern recognition, attention, and associative learning in the overlap between music and language.

  generalfuture-work sectionevidence 5/5
  Keywords: paper suggests future research investigate cognitive processes cultivated
• Are Mathematical and Musical Abilities Related Beyond Intelligence? (2026) · Journal of Intelligence · doi

  There is a lack of empirical evidence on the actual relationship between different facets of musical and mathematical abilities. Prior studies have neglected to investigate the cognitive mechanisms that might link musical and musical abilities. The study aims to fill this gap by systematically investigating the relationships between facets of musical and mathematical ability while taking into account intelligence.

  generalstated research gapevidence 5/5
  Keywords: there lack empirical evidence actual relationship between different

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