Music in the brain is processed through neural networks that involve areas of auditory and motor processing, and its perception and performance involve various cognitive functions.
Music is part of our history practically since we have data from it. On the other hand, since we are born, it is present in our environment. In fact, experts consider it so relevant that throughout history they have wanted to find the different effects that music causes in the brain.
As a summary, we can say that music in the brain is processed through neural networks that involve areas of auditory and motor processing. On the other hand, their perception and execution involve various cognitive functions.
In addition, the changes that produce music in the brain are another means for the rehabilitation of many people through music therapy, which is able to improve our health thanks to various factors: attention, emotion, cognition, behavior, communication, and perception.
-Daniel Levitin-«Whoever wants to understand human nature, the interaction between brain and culture, between evolution, mind and society, has to carefully examine the role that music has played in the life of the human being, the way in which music and humanity they have evolved together, shaping each other
Music in the brain, what is it for?
Most researchers looking for the origin of musical skills are based on two observed facts and an assumption. The observed facts are that all human societies known to date have music and that musical skills manifest themselves from the early stages of children's development.
A baby of two months already discriminates between sounds considered pleasant and sounds that for most are unpleasant. In addition, you can remember melodies heard days before. From this it could be concluded that music is innate: human beings are born gifted to appreciate it without anyone teaching us.
The assumption that arises: if evolution has endowed us with musical brains, it must be because music gave our ancestors some advantage in their environment. Following this, Darwin thought that music in humans emerged as a tool for courtship, as did the peacock's tail and the singing of many bird species. However, this opinion is now a minority since, if the music were exclusively of sexual origin, why does it fulfill so many other functions and appear in such diverse activities?
Experimental psychologist Steven Pinker of Harvard University says: "music is not an adaptation, but a kind of side effect of other abilities and needs of the human organism."
Pinker points out that music, with its repetitive, orderly and predictable sounds, "tickles" us at the pleasure centers that serve to indicate that we have found an orderly and safe environment. Music can be innate without being adaptive, like other pleasure technologies; For example, gastronomy: the body only requires nutrients, without requiring that they come fried or seasoned.
"We are innate musical creatures from the depths of our nature."-Koelsch-
What causes music in the brain?
According to Robert Zatorre, a neuroscientist at the Montreal Neurological Institute, musical activities such as listening, playing, composing, put almost all our cognitive abilities to work.
As we have commented at the beginning, many neuroscientists are interested in the neurophysiology of music in the brain because it can reveal many things about its general functioning.
Music can cause such contradictory sensations, such as joy or sadness. Krumhansl showed that the music with fast time and in greater tone created reactions of happiness and that, on the contrary, music with slow time and in minor tone generated sadness.
It is related to memory, emotions, moods and our creative capacity and is closely related to language. There are studies in which it is observed that people with autism or cerebral palsy who have difficulties in language have a great ability to express themselves through musical instruments. Therefore it can serve as communication.
Music in the brain activates physiological and chemical processes involved in reward systems that we are not aware of. This indicates innate neural networks responsible for the musical reaction.
Like food, addictive drugs or sex, music activates the dopaminergic system that is involved in the pleasure of listening to music, increasing cerebral blood flow in regions of the ventral striatum, especially in the nucleus accumbens.
Blood proposes that it is an emergent property in the complex human cognition since music is not necessary to survive or reproduce, but it can be significant for us to maintain good health.
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