Music has long been a beloved form of entertainment, with musicians like Bangtan Boys (BTS) often achieving celebrity status and their creations enjoyed by millions worldwide. However, there is much more to music than simply entertainment. Numerous studies have shown that music profoundly impacts the brain, affecting everything from mood and emotions to cognitive function and physical health. From reducing stress and anxiety to improving memory and language skills, the influence of music on the brain is vast and varied. In this article, we will explore the many ways in which music can affect your brain.
Which areas of the brain are affected by music?
Temporal lobe: Music & sound is processed & interpreted in the right hemisphere
Wernicke’s area: Music is analyzed & enjoyed
Frontal lobe: Music enhances the frontal lobe’s function of thinking, planning & decision-making
Nucleus Accumbens: Music increases dopamine production in this area, seeking pleasure & reward
Amygdala: Music activates the amygdala, enabling the control of fear, increasing the flight-and-fight response and pleasure
Hippocampus: Music increases neurogenesis in the hippocampus, allowing the production of new neurons and improving memory
Hypothalamus: Music can aid in reducing heart rate and blood pressure
Putamen: Music increases dopamine in this area and our response to rhythm
Does the type of music you listen to matter?
Different types of music have different impacts on the brain.
Classical music enhances dopamine secretion and increases the number of synapses in your brain, facilitating memory & learning.
Heavy metal music creates a sense of identity.
Rap music induces the “flow state,” stimulating emotions & language and improving motor function, motivation & processing.
Pop or rock music enables one to be more alert but can serve as a distraction if one is working.
Jazz music and ballads enable one to feel more relaxed.
What in particular does music affect?
Firstly, music improves cognitive abilities. According to a study conducted in 2018, adults with subjective cognitive impairment who listened to 12 minutes of music every day for 12 weeks showed a decrease in a cellular biomarker of aging in the blood, as well as improvements in memory, mood, sleep, and executive cognitive function. This is attributed to the “arousal-and-mood hypothesis,” which states that music increases how awake and alert we feel, putting us at an optimal level to improve memory recall.
Secondly, upbeat music can reduce symptoms of depression. According to a 2017 review in the Journal “Frontiers of Psychology that examined 28 studies that investigated the effect of music on depression, there was a significant reduction in depression levels over time in the groups that listened to music compared to the control groups that didn't in 26 of these studies. This phenomenon is mainly observed among older people. This occurs as upbeat music lights up neural networks that store positive and personal memories.
Thirdly, music can decrease stress and serve as a pain relief. According to a 2015 study published in The Lancet, listening to music before, during, and after surgery reduced pain and stress associated with medical procedures. Through increasing the release of serotonin and dopamine while reducing the release of cortisol, a stress-related hormone, music stimulates physiological and psycho-emotional responses, opening up brain pathways that link to positive memories and feelings, in turn reducing stress & pain.
Negative effects of music
Sad or anger-filled music can increase the release of cortisol & stimulate brain areas associated with negative emotions, lowering one's mood when already feeling low. However, this does not necessarily apply to all. According to a 2019 article published in the Psychology of Music, researchers found that 17% of participants in an experiment reported feeling sadder as a consequence of listening to sad music when they were already feeling low. However, 74% of participants were not affected by sad music.
Music is more distracting than helpful for students who use music to concentrate on their studies. This is especially true for music with catchy tunes, as this splits the students’ attention, decreasing their focus on the task.
Listening to music at a high volume can damage one’s hearing. Prolonged exposure to loud music can damage the delicate structures within the ear, specifically the cochlea, as the hair cells in the ear can become overworked and eventually die, leading to irreversible hearing loss.
Reference List:
CDC (2018). How Does Loud Noise Cause Hearing Loss? | NCEH | CDC. [online] www.cdc.gov. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/how_does_loud_noise_cause_hearing_loss.html#:~:text=Loud%20noise%20can%20damage%20cells.
Kimball, R. (2021). Your Brain: An Introduction to Its Anatomy – Multicultural Alzheimer’s Prevention Program (MAPP). [online] mapp.mgh.harvard.edu. Available at: https://mapp.mgh.harvard.edu/your-brain-an-introduction-to-its-anatomy/.
Shepherd, B. (2022). How does music affect your brain? [online] livescience.com. Available at: https://www.livescience.com/how-does-music-affect-your-brain.
UAGC Staff Member (2021). How Does Music Affect Your Brain? [online] The University of Arizona Global Campus. Available at: https://www.uagc.edu/blog/how-does-music-affect-your-brain.
University of Central Florida (2017). Your Brain on Music. [online] Pegasus Magazine. Available at: https://www.ucf.edu/pegasus/your-brain-on-music/.
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