Stress & Flow States
Physiological regulation and performance variability under cognitive load and time pressure.
Research Program
Exploring Rhythm, Stress, and the Brain
Interdisciplinary research combining drumming performance, neurophysiology, and stress science to understand how rhythmic activity influences neural adaptation, attention, and resilience. Methods include fNIRS, EEG, heart-rate variability, and behavioral analysis.
The Researcher
Led by Rainer Lindquist,
this program integrates music performance,
neurophysiology, and cognitive science to investigate
how rhythm interacts with timing, stress, and
coordination systems in the brain.
“Drumming provides a unique experimental window into how the brain organizes movement, synchronizes with sound and vision, and adapts under pressure.”
Focus Areas
Using drumming as a model of sensorimotor control and emotional regulation, this research examines how timing, feedback, and training interact with neural efficiency and adaptability.
Bi-manual Coordination
Hemispheric communication and neural coupling during complex, asymmetric drumming tasks.
Neural Adaptation
Long-term plasticity and cross-limb learning arising from ambidextrous practice.
Delayed Auditory Feedback
How time-shifted sound alters motor planning, error correction, and perceived timing.
Publications & Manuscripts
Original work and in-progress manuscripts on rhythmic behavior and neurophysiological dynamics.
Lindquist, R. (2025). Neural Correlates of Motor
Control and Stress Response During Ambidextrous
Polyrhythmic Drumming: A Multimodal fNIRS-EEG
Investigation
Characterizes cortical activation patterns during
asymmetric, stress-loaded drumming tasks.
Lindquist, R., (2025). New Breed Practice Variations - Comprehensive Research Summary
Practice structure matters more than content
complexity, with effects that increase proportionally to
rhythmic difficulty. This pattern is predicted by four
converging theoretical frameworks from motor learning
and cognitive psychology.
Lindquist, R. (2025). Exploring synaptic plasticity in response to auditory delay during ambidextrous drumming exercises using functional Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy (fNIRS) and EEG
A proposed variation of the
above research would include creating a digital
'delay' in the audio feedback for the limbs. The delay
is estimated to be between 100-1000 milliseconds.
Manuscript in progress
Lindquist, R. (2025). Physiological Stress Responses During Musical Practice: An Integrated Analysis of Genre-Specific and Practice Structure Effects
Musical genres and practice structures create distinct,
measurable physiological signatures. Practice structure
findings demonstrate that strategic rest intervals can
reduce physiological demands by ~44% while maintaining
learning effectiveness.
Lindquist, R. (2020-2023). Practice Habits and
Development of Adult Musicians.
My research examines deliberate practice among mature
musicians aged 50 and above, addressing a significant
gap in music psychology literature that predominantly
focuses on younger learners. Through mixed-methods
investigation of 19 professional and amateur musicians
from institutions including the Malmö Opera and Cape
Town Philharmonic, I've identified three key findings
which suggest that sustained musical expertise requires
integrating psychological resilience, physical
awareness, and adaptive practice strategies—implications
relevant for music pedagogy, performance science, and
healthy aging research.