Auditory+Melodic-Emotional+Axis

It appears that an emotional-melodic-intonational Axis, somewhat similar to the Language Axis in anatomical design is within the right hemisphere

The right temporal-parietal area is involved in the perception, identification, and comprehension of environmental and musical sounds and various forms of melodic and emotional auditory stimuli, and probably acts to prepare this information for expression via transfer to the right frontal convexity which is dominant regarding the expression of emotional-melodic and even environmental sounds.

The amygdala should also be considered part of this axis as it subcortically responds to and analyzes environmental sounds and emotional vocalizations as well as imparts emotional significance to auditory input and output processed and expressed at the level of the neocortex



Role of Right Temporal Lobe in Music
the right temporal lobe (left ear) predominantes in the perception of timbre, chords, tone, pitch, loudness, melody, and intensity --the major components (in conjuction with harmony) of a musical stimulus A right hemisphere increase in blood flow when listening to harmony (but not rhythm), among non-musicians in general, and especially among females. Rhythm increases left hemisphere activity and is clearly dominant regarding rhythmical and temporal sequential aspects of a musical stimulus.

In part, it is due to its dominance for perceiving melodic information that the right temporal lobe becomes activated when engaged in a variety of language tasks. For example, the right temporal and parietal areas are activated when reading, and the right temporal lobe becomes highly active when engage in interpreting the figurative aspects of language.

Right Temporal Lobe Damage to Axis
-disruptions in time sense, rhythm, the ability to sing, carry a tune, perceive, recognize or recall tones, loudness, timbre, and melody. -Ability to recognize even familiar melodies and the capacity to obtain pleasure while listening to music is abolished or disrupted or significantly reduced; a condition referred to as amusia.

Posterior Damage To Axis
-Comprehension or repetition of melodic-emotional vocalizations in disrupted. Non-linguistic sound agnosia.

Right Frontal Convexity Damage
-speech becomes bland, atonal, and monotone

**Right temporal-parietal Damage**
-Impaired ability to perceive and identify environmental sounds -Loss of comprehension or production of appropriate verbal prosody, emotional speech, or to repeat emotional statements, positive or negative

Right Amygdala Damage
-Ability to sing affected -Ability to properly intonate altered