May13

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Study Finds We Don’t Just Hear Music — Our Brains and Bodies “Become” It,

A recent study found what many of us know to be true: When we listen to music, we embody it on a deep, physical level that goes beyond hearing.

Drawing upon insights from neuroscience, music, and psychology, the study out of McGill University supports the neural resonance theory, which suggests that our brain and body’s oscillatory patterns align with a tune’s rhythm, melody, and harmony — “from the ear all the way to the spinal cord and limb movements.”  These patterns help shape our musical preferences, sense of timing, and instincts to dance to the beat.

While other research has suggested that the brain relies on learned expectations and predictions to feel music, these findings present a different explanation: “This theory suggests that music is powerful not just because we hear it, but because our brains and bodies become it,” said co-author Caroline Palmer. Researchers show brain rhythms sync with sound to create emotion, movement and meaning.

Potential applications of the theory include:

  • Therapeutic tools for conditions like stroke, Parkinson’s and depression
  • Emotionally intelligent AI that can respond to or generate music more like humans
  • New learning technologies to support rhythm and pitch education
  • Cross-cultural insight into why music connects people around the world

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“music is an outburst of the soul.”
― frederick delius

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Source credits:

Study was led by Edward Large (University of Connecticut) and co-authored by Caroline Palmer.

Canada Research Chair and NSERC Discovery, McGill University, Science News, Science Discovery

Nature Reviews, Neuroscience

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72 responses »

  5. I’ve loved how music affects animals, who must take it in on a more innocent and primal level than even we do. The Facebook recounting of cattle and elephants coming to listen to music fascinate me. A great post, Beth!

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  10. This is so true. I volunteer at a food pantry and have the past five years. I work outside loading cars with groceries. The team I work with plays music as we work and it makes us laugh and sing and helps our clients feel welcome. What a great post. Thank you.

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  15. Didn’t need a study to tell me what I already knew, but nice to have it documented. My first thought was those elderly folks with dementia whom no one can reach … but they react when they hear familiar music.

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    • I agree. and I witnessed this firsthand many times when visiting my mother in a memory care ward, the non verbal patients would lift their heads, move to the music and respond, every time.

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  20. The neuroscience behind music is so interesting indeed. I’m reading your post as I unwind for the day and have EDM blasting in the background. Something about the right music that clicks with our brain chemistry that just make us feel good. I see this with T as well. Definitely something to continue to be studied and nurtured!

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  23. I don’t think I can live without music. I was drawn to opera when I was a teenager not knowing what it was. Then I sang in choirs almost all my life. I used to drive an hour or longer each way to and from work and listen between two stations.

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  28. I’m not surprised, but it’s good to be reminded of how powerful music is in a positive way. Music has always been a big part of my life when I sang in the younger years, striving to be a professional vocalist. Now writing takes the front seat with music as the passenger. Great post, Beth!

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