7 Mar 2025
Job Information
- Organisation/Company
NeuroSchool, Aix-Marseille Université- Research Field
Psychological sciences » Psychology
Biological sciences » Biology
Medical sciences- Researcher Profile
Recognised Researcher (R2)
Leading Researcher (R4)
First Stage Researcher (R1)
Established Researcher (R3)- Country
France- Application Deadline
13 Apr 2025 - 22:00 (UTC)- Type of Contract
Temporary- Job Status
Full-time- Offer Starting Date
1 Oct 2025- Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?
Not funded by a EU programme- Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?
No
Offer Description
The NeuroSchool PhD Program of Aix-Marseille University (France) has launched its annual calls for PhD contracts for students with a master's degree in a non-French university and for international co-supervised PhDs.
This project is one of the proposed projects. Not all proposed projects will be funded, check our website for details.
State of the Art: Humans spontaneously synchronize to musical rhythms and experience a spontaneous wanting-to-move experience, termed groove, when listening to musical stimuli. This process relies on delta-range (~1-3 Hz) dynamics along the dorsal auditory pathway, which connects auditory and motor cortices. Studies indicate that predictive timing —the ability to anticipate future events— is a fundamental function of this pathway. While non-human primates (NHP) exhibit temporal prediction abilities, they do not spontaneously move to music. Recent findings suggest that variations in auditory-motor coupling could account for this discrepancy. However, the extent to which NHPs process rhythmic structures and experience groove remains an open question.
Objectives:
- Acquire neurophysiological activity in humans and NHPs during passive music listening.
- Investigate the neural correlates of auditory rhythmic processing in both species.
- Investigate the shared and distinct neural mechanisms underlying predictive timing in humans and NHPs.
- Assess whether NHPs show neural markers of groove despite the absence of overt movement.
Methods:
- Human neurophysiology: Humans will be exposed to rhythmic stimuli varying in syncopation (=temporal predictability), while their intracranial EEG activity will be recorded. Recordings will occur at the epilepsy unit of APHM.
- NHP neurophysiology: NHPs will be exposed to the same rhythmic stimuli, while their neurophysiological activity will be recorded. Recordings will occur at INT.
- Computational Modeling: Neurodynamic and Bayesian models will be used to estimate intermediate variables explaining the relation between syncopation and the wanting-to-move feeling (Zalta et al., 2024; Cannon 2021).
Expected Results:
- Identification of neural signatures related to predictive timing in the dorsal auditory pathway of humans and NHPs.
- Evidence for or against implicit groove perception in NHPs despite the absence of overt movement.
- Insights into the evolutionary basis of rhythmic entrainment and its connection to motor systems.
Feasibility: Approval for human studies is currently pending ethical review. Ethical approval for NHP studies has already been obtained (2016060618508941).
Funding category: Contrat doctoral
3 years
PHD title: Doctorat de neurosciences
PHD Country: France
Where to apply
- Website
- https://www.abg.asso.fr/fr/candidatOffres/show/id_offre/129189
Requirements
Specific Requirements
Master's degree from a non-French university in neuroscience or related field
Fluent in English
Background in neuroscience, cognitive science, or a related field.
Experience with neurophysiological experiments in humans and/or NHP.
Strong analytical skills, including signal processing, statistical analyses and computational modeling.
Interest in music cognition, rhythm perception, and comparative neuroscience
Additional Information
Work Location(s)
- Number of offers available
- 1
- Company/Institute
- NeuroSchool, Aix-Marseille Université
- Country
- France
- City
- Marseille
- Geofield
Contact
- Website
https://neuro-marseille.org/en/Calls/2025-phd-contracts-for-international-students/
STATUS: EXPIRED
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