Scientists conducted a study and discovered why music evokes strong emotions in people. Sometimes, when listening to our favorite melodies, we feel goosebumps on our skin. This is due to the activity of special nerve circuits in the brain that connect the centers of hearing and pleasure. Previously, such processes were studied using complex devices, such as MRI. However, now experts have proved that even an ordinary electroencephalograph (EEG) can record these changes. This discovery will help study music’s impact on humans in normal conditions, not just in the laboratory.
Our brains can distinguish music from other sounds, such as speech or noise. For example, it has long been known that speech is processed by the left hemisphere, while the right hemisphere processes music. Scientists have also found that a person can recognize a familiar melody in 100-300 milliseconds. This is very fast according to brain standards and suggests that we have unique chains of neurons responsible for the perception of music.
To understand why favorite songs evoke emotions, researchers conducted experiments by asking several people to name songs they enjoyed. The participants were then placed in specialized machines, including an MRI scanner and an electroencephalograph, and given excerpts of these songs to listen to. They were subsequently asked how they felt while listening, including whether they experienced goosebumps or other intense sensations.
When a person hears pleasant music, certain brain zones are activated. These zones are located in the movement, emotions, and hearing areas. They connect the pleasure center with the hearing center, so we experience vivid emotions when listening to our favorite tunes.
The main discovery is that scientists could notice these changes even with a simple device—an electroencephalograph. This means that it is now possible to study the effect of music on the brain not only in laboratories but also under normal conditions. Perhaps this will help us better understand how music affects a person’s mood, memory, and health.
However, supermarkets and casinos are already well aware of this. The choice of music there is approached as carefully as possible. For example, online roulette often sounds jazz, which complements the atmosphere and sets us up for the game. To be sure of this, it is enough to study this site with reviews of online casinos with roulette. This website is top-ranked in the search engine and contains information about dozens of famous casinos with roulette and other popular gambling games. By examining the games in these casinos, you can hear the jazz in many of them.
Thus, the study has shown that music does have a substantial effect on the brain. It can induce joy, pleasant feelings, and even physical reactions such as goosebumps. Scientists will now be able to explore this process further using more accessible methods of observing brain activity.