Both music and language are found in all known human societies, yet no studies have compared similarities and differences between song, speech, and instrumental music on a global scale. In this Registered Report, we analyzed two global datasets: (i) 300 annotated audio recordings representing matched sets of traditional songs, recited lyrics, conversational speech, and instrumental melodies from our 75 coauthors speaking 55 languages; and (ii) 418 previously published adult-directed song and speech recordings from 209 individuals speaking 16 languages. Of our six preregistered predictions, five were strongly supported: Relative to speech, songs use (i) higher pitch, (ii) slower temporal rate, and (iii) more stable pitches, while both songs and speech used similar (iv) pitch interval size and (v) timbral brightness. Exploratory analyses suggest that features vary along a “musi-linguistic” continuum when including instrumental melodies and recited lyrics. Our study provides strong empirical evidence of cross-cultural regularities in music and speech.

Music is a universal human trait. The healing power of music has been acknowledged in almost all traditions of music. Music therapy is moving from a social-science model focusing on overall health and well-being towards a neuroscience model focusing on specific elements of music and its effect on sensorimotor, language and cognitive functions. The handful of evidence-based music therapy studies on psychiatric conditions have shown promising results. Traditional music, such as Indian classical music, has only recently been evaluated in evidence-based research into music therapy. The need for systematic research in this area is underscored.

Objective White matter (WM) integrity of Spinocerebellar ataxia 2 (SCA2) is poorly understood, more so in the early stages of SCA2. In this study, we evaluated the microstructural integrity of the WM tracts with an emphasis on the nature of in‐vivo pathological involvement in early SCA2. Materials and methods We evaluated the MRI images of 26 genetically proven SCA2 patients with disease duration less than 5 years and 24 age‐ and gender‐matched healthy controls using tract‐based spatial statistics (TBSS) to identify the WM tract changes and their clinico‐genetic correlates (age at onset, duration of disease, ataxia severity, and CAG repeat length) using standard methodology. Results The mean age at onset and duration of disease was 28.7 ± 8.51 years and 3.5 ± 0.69 months, respectively. The mean CAG repeat length was 42.5 ± 4.6 and ataxia score was 16.1 ± 4.9. Altered DTI scalars signifying degeneration was present in bilateral anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), corticospinal tract (CST), inferior fronto‐occipital fasciculus (IFOF), superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF and ILF), uncinate fasciculus (UF), cingulum, corpus callosum (CC), forceps major, and forceps minor (corrected p<0.05). DTI scalars representing demyelination was seen in the superior cerebellar peduncle (SCP) and cerebellar WM. There was a significant correlation of SARA score with axial diffusivity of the bilateral cingulum, ATR, CST, forceps minor, IFOF, ILF, SLF, and SCP on the right side (corrected p<0.05). Conclusion Extensive WM involvement is present in early SCA2. The DTI scalars indicate degeneration and demyelination and may have clinical implications.