Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics

In the Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, we investigate the neurobiological mechanisms and gene-environment interplay that underlie expertise, skill learning, aesthetic judgment, and creativity. We also study how and why cultural engagement relates to well-being and health. In most of our work, we use music as a model domain. Methodologically, we combine structural and functional neuroimaging with approaches from experimental psychology and behavior genetics. A key focus of our present work is to leverage the exciting possibilities offered by ultra-high field MRI to study the structure and function of the musical brain at a meso-scale resolution.

More information: https://www.aesthetics.mpg.de/en/research/department-of-cognitive-neuropsychology.html

The use of music, like language, is rarely a solitary affair. We produce pitches and sounds to have an effect on others’ actions and to evoke emotions, meaning, and understanding. How human brains make sense of music and language, and how both of these are used and produced in social interaction, are questions tackled by the Research Group Neurocognition of Music and Language. Modern neuroimaging, physiological, behavioral and computational methods are the tools we use to map and compare the neural dynamics of music and language, in both perception and (joint) action.

More information: https://www.aesthetics.mpg.de/en/research/research-group-neurocognition-of-music-and-language.html

The Research Group Neural Codes of Intelligence investigates the neural information processing mechanisms that underlie reasoning and intelligence. In particular, we study how the brain forms conceptual knowledge and how these representations guide reasoning in novel situations and generation of ideas. Ultimately, we aim to identify principles that underlie general cognitive abilities. We adress these questions using a combination of cognitive paradigms, non-invasive brain-imaging, such as fMRI and MEG, and representational analyses methods.

More information: https://www.aesthetics.mpg.de/en/research/minerva-research-group-neural-codes-of-intelligence.html

Our research spans multiple areas of cognitive and clinical neuroscience, with a particular focus on high-resolution structural, angioarchitectonic, perfusion, and functional mapping of the human cortex and subcortical regions. We develop and apply quantitative MRI methods to characterize tissue vascularization, microstructure, myelination, and iron content, and use resting-state and task-based fMRI to investigate neural connectivity and brain dynamics. A further emphasis lies on the development of advanced MRI sequences and analysis pipelines for both 7T and 3T systems, enabling translational applications in neurodegenerative disorders, psychiatric conditions, and neurodevelopmental research. By integrating methodological innovation with multidisciplinary collaboration, we aim to expand the frontiers of human neuroimaging and to generate insights that advance both basic neuroscience and clinically relevant research.

More information: https://www.aesthetics.mpg.de/en/research/research-group-structural-and-physiological-imaging-with-high-field-mri.html