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Evoking emotions and the ability to influence someone’s mood is the obvious and straight-away answer when asked ‘How does music affect the brain’, but that is just the tip of the iceberg when talking about the power of music.
Music has a profound impact on the brain and influences different cognitive, emotional, and physiological processes.
Imagine yourself going to the gym, and instead of high-tempo music, the playlist includes beautiful piano melodies. Well, you might say goodbye to the excitement and power needed for training. Different genres elicit specific emotional responses, such as nostalgia, sadness, happiness, etc.
Regarding memory and learning ability, it is quite common to see people studying with background music, as it has been demonstrated that it improves focus, attention, and cognitive performance.
Music enhances brain plasticity (neuroplasticity)
Neuroplasticity is the term used to refer to the brain’s ability to change, reorganize, or grow new neural networks, and adapt to new experiences, involving structural and functional changes. Structural plasticity refers to changes in its physical structure due to learning processes, and functional plasticity refers to the ability of brain functions to move from damaged areas to undamaged areas.
For better understanding, every child neuron has approximately 2,500 synapses. When you are 3 years old, this number grows to 15,000 synapses per neuron. The average adult only has half of these, and why? Because of new experiences, some connections are strengthened and others are eliminated. And those that are not usually used even die.
This feature allows you to learn new things, improve existing cognitive skills, recover from strokes, improve brain fitness, etc. However, this plasticity has a limit, and some areas of the brain are responsible for certain actions.
The main parts of the brain activated by music are: the auditory cortex (temporal lobes), memory regions, and the motor system. Sound waves enter the ear, strike the eardrum, and create vibrations that are converted into electric signals. These signals travel to the brainstem, a relay station for auditory information. From there, they disperse and activate auditory cortices and other parts of the brain.
When people feel stressed, it is recommended for them to listen to calm, relaxing, and classical melodies. It has been demonstrated that music lowers levels of cortisol, a hormone related to stress, and promotes the release of endorphins, such as dopamine, brain opioids that block the perception of pain and increase the feeling of well-being.
Rehabilitation and therapy
Surveys regarding the relationship of people with music indicate those who have been more exposed to music feel ‘good’ with their cognitive function, are less anxious, and satisfied with their ability to learn new things.
Music has been studied and used for therapeutic effects – healing power.
It is known about the therapeutic power of music for patients with neurological conditions, such as depression, dementia, and Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
“You have these patients who are essentially sedated, lying down, eyes closed, not able to communicate. And when you play a song that they recognize from their youth, their eyes light up. They’re sitting up, and they’re smiling. It’s just incredible.” – Nikki Haddad
At Berklee Music and Health Institute, a neurologist uses non-invasive imaging technology to peer into individuals’ brains and observe their neural circuits in real time while listening to music.
Music therapy has also been demonstrated to be effective when applied to cognitive functions in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and as an alternative treatment for depression in children and adolescents with ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) by activating serotonin secretion, a hormone responsible for boosting mood, digestion, and sleep.
So, how does music do this?
Well, it can reach and activate almost the entire brain’s regions and networks, enhance brain pathways, and strengthen them, all of which are related to the quality of life.
Only one other situation can stimulate so many brain networks: participation in social activities.
References
Bleibel M, El Cheikh A, Sadier NS, Abou-Abbas L. The effect of music therapy on cognitive functions in patients with Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Alzheimers Res Ther [Internet]. 2023 Mar 27;15(1):65. Available from: https://alzres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13195-023-01214-9
Koelsch S. Brain correlates of music-evoked emotions. Nat Rev Neurosci [Internet]. 2014 Mar 20;15(3):170–80. Available from: https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn3666
Park J-I, Lee I-H, Lee S-J, Kwon R-W, Choo E-A, Nam H-W, et al. Effects of music therapy as an alternative treatment on depression in children and adolescents with ADHD by activating serotonin and improving stress coping ability. BMC Complement Med Ther [Internet]. 2023 Mar 6;23(1):73. Available from: https://bmccomplementalternmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12906-022-03832-6
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