The Neuroscience of Music: Exploring the Powerful Relationship between Psychology and Musical Stimuli

The relationship between psychology and music goes back to the close intertwining between the constitution of psychology as a scientific discipline and the consideration of musical facts. The first studies, in the 50s of the 20th century, referred to acoustic perception and the ability of individuals to discriminate the pitch of sounds, evaluating whether there were people endowed with “absolute pitch” capable of recognizing tonalities; in this sense, were the works of the Hungarian Géza Révésztrue pioneer of the psychology of music.

According to The fence (2002), the psychology of music or musical psychology is a specialization of psychology that has as its object the responses of the mind to musical stimuli, the modalities in which it elaborates them, controls the benefits and evaluates them. Understanding a piece of music, in general, activates a complex network of cognitive abilities that invert abilities such as memorization, attention, or analysis of structures. The study of cognitive processes applied to the musical field is the result of a long gestation that sinks its roots in the first experiments of scientific psychology.

Many psychoecomusicology investigations have investigated at what age and how the child’s ability to understand music develops: already at 8 months, the child, completing auditory development, spontaneously produces babbling songs (babbling songs), has fun doing it and repeats such vocalizations with a certain frequency, as well as vocalizes single syllables.

Not only that, but by four months he can move his eyes vertically properly when hearing a loud or low sound. The child’s responses in the first 3 years are motor or vocal: he can recognize short melodies and at 3 years can sing musical tracks with a tonal extension of a descending minor third (for example, sol-mi) that corresponds to the sound of a siren or of the songs; then he discriminates the rhythmic structures and reproduces them with the beat of his hands already at the age of five.

Arthur Schopenhauer: “En music all feelings return to their pure state and the world is nothing but music come true”

From the age of 7, musical abilities develop even more, managing to discriminate different melodic intervals, distinguishing individual notes from chords. All this happens both due to greater cognitive abilities and a process of “tonal learning”, according to which from the age of 6 our ear becomes sensitive to the sounds it hears.

Finally, around the age of 12, he completes his musical development, thus becoming capable of perceiving modulations between tones, or dissociative harmonizations, of recognizing the rhythm of a melody, and the aesthetic judgment of music begins to appear.

It is known, in the influence of music on emotions, that the intervals between notes are responsible for quite reproducible reactions between different individuals; compositions for semitones generate tension, while an interval of a fifth (C-G) is so perfect and pleasant that it is the musical equivalent of a circle in the figurative arts.

Music is often considered the “language of emotions”: its ability to evoke and express emotions constitutes its fundamental and primary characteristic. Music expresses emotions that listeners perceive, recognize, or are emotionally touched. In addition, several studies have suggested that the most common reason for listening to music is to be able to influence emotions, to modify them, to release them, to tune in to their emotional state, to cheer up or comfort themselves, or to reduce stress.

A study conducted in 2003 by Adrian North, from the University of Leicester, England, showed that patrons of a luxury restaurant choose the most expensive items on the menu if sophisticated, classical music is played in the room. According to North, this happens because clients, listening to classical music, perceive themselves as more refined people; Thus, in order to remain in tune with their image of themselves, in front of the wine list they spared no expense.

This is a mechanism called the effect Chateau Lafite and, albeit unconsciously, it confirms how much we are capable of realizing the emotional value of music and the kind of influence it has on our sensations. This phenomenon, often referred to as the “soundtrack of our lives”, is due to the strong connection between music and the hippocampus, an area of ​​the brain critical for forming and retrieving memories. This connection is the reason why music is often used in therapies for conditions such as Alzheimer and dementia, familiar melodies can help patients recall past experiences and improve their cognitive function

Music engages a multitude of brain areas, displaying a complex interplay between auditory processing, emotion, and memory centers. It triggers emotions through the release of dopamine, our brain’s pleasure molecule, explaining the joy we often find in a favorite song. Additionally, the power of music to evoke vivid memories highlights its connection to the hippocampus, our memory storage center.

This broad influence of music on our brain mechanisms is also harnessed in therapeutic contexts, such as treating neurological disorders or improving mental health.

Key facts:

Multiple areas of the brain are involved when we listen to or create music, including the auditory cortex, prefrontal cortex, motor cortex, and hippocampus.

Music has a strong influence on our emotions due to its interaction with the brain’s reward system, particularly through the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward.

The connection between music and the hippocampus, an area of ​​the brain critical for forming and retrieving memories, is why music is frequently used in therapies for conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Often considered a universal language, music has a profound ability to evoke emotions, memories, and even physical responses like tapping your toes or nodding your head.

Neuroscience has begun to answer these questions, revealing a symphony of activity that helps us understand why music is so powerful. Listening to or playing music engages multiple areas of the brain, making it a great exercise for the mind. Thus, the auditory cortex decodes elements such as pitch and volume, while the frontal regions, including the prefrontal cortex, process the emotional content of music; the motor cortex gets involved when we tap our foot to the rhythm or play an instrument, and the hippocampus, a region associated with memory, connects music to our past experiences and emotions.

Music and memory evokes echoes of the past, thus music has a unique link with our memories. An old song can transport us to a specific place and time, evoking vivid emotions.

This phenomenon, often referred to as the “soundtrack of our lives”is due to the strong connection between music and the hippocampus, an area of ​​the brain critical for forming and retrieving memories.

This connection is the reason why music is often used in therapies for conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia. Familiar melodies can help patients recall past experiences and improve their cognitive function.

Given its profound impact on the brain, it is not surprising that music is increasingly being used as a therapeutic tool. Music therapy has shown promise in the treatment of a variety of conditions, including: Parkinson’s disease, depression, and stroke.

By harnessing the emotional, cognitive, and motor stimulation that music provides, therapists can help patients improve their mood, cognition, and motor function.

Studies have shown that music training can improve cognitive abilities. Playing an instrument or singing requires complex motor and cognitive skills, stimulating the brain’s plasticity, its ability to change and adapt as a result of experience. This can lead to improvements in areas like language development, attention, memory, and even spatiotemporal skills, which are crucial for solving complex math problems.

Given its profound impact on the brain, it is not surprising that music is increasingly being used as a therapeutic tool. Music therapy has shown promise in the treatment of a variety of conditions, including: illness, depression, and stroke. By harnessing the emotional, cognitive, and motor stimulation that music provides, therapists can help patients improve their mood, cognition, and motor function.

In conclusion, the neuroscience of music is a rapidly growing field that continues to reveal the extensive and profound ways in which music interacts with our brains. It is not just an art form, but a powerful tool that can bring about emotional, cognitive, and even physical changes, underpinning its vital role in our lives and in society.

Finally, share this reflection of the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer:“In music all feelings return to their pure state and the world is nothing but music come true.”