Pii: S0304-3940(99)00930-1

We performed functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in professional piano players and control subjects during an overtrained complex ®nger movement task using a blood oxygenation level dependent echo-planar gradient echo sequence. Activation clusters were seen in primary motor cortex, supplementary motor area, premotor cortex and superior parietal lobule. We found signi®cant differences in the extent of cerebral activation between both groups with piano players having a smaller number of activated voxels. We conclude that, due to long-term motor practice a different cortical activation pattern can be visualized in piano players. For the same movements lesser neurons need to be recruited. The different volume of the activated cortical areas might therefore re ̄ect the different effort necessary for motor performance in both groups. q 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.