Dynamic acoustic salience evokes motor responses

Audio-motor integration is currently viewed as a predictive process in which the brain simulates upcoming sounds based on voluntary actions. This perspective does not consider how our auditory environment may trigger involuntary action absence of prediction. We address this issue by examining relationship between acoustic salience and motor responses. investigate features music contribute to perception salience, whether those peripheral Participants with little-to-no musical training listened excerpts once while remaining still during recording their muscle activity surface electromyography (sEMG), again they continuously rated perceived within using slider. show cross-correlations 1) ratings features, 2) spontaneous activity, 3) activity. Amplitude, intensity, spectral centroid were most salient music, fluctuations these evoked Our results suggest an mechanism for audio-motor integration, rely brainstem-spinal or brainstem-cerebellar-spinal pathways. Based results, we argue that new framework needed explain full range human sensorimotor capabilities. goal can be achieved considering reactive mechanisms could operate independently interactively optimize behavior.