Here’s why old songs always feel so good, according to science.
Have you ever felt a rush of happiness when your favorite song comes on the radio? It’s not just in your head – well, it is, but there’s science behind it.
A new study from Aarhus University and the University of Oxford reveals that familiar music turns on the brain’s feel-good area, making us happier and more engaged.
But this research does not just deepen our understanding of music cognition. It also opens up ways to use music for health reasons, like checking for dementia.
Study Design and Methodology
Researchers at Aarhus University and the University of Oxford conducted the study involving 83 participants.
Here, they used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to record brain activity while people listened to short bits of music.
The task was simple: participants had to say if each five-note sequence was from a previously memorized piece or a novel variation.
Participants were presented with 135 musical sequences, each lasting 1750 ms. Of these, 27 were from the piece they learned, while 108 were carefully made variations.
Variations were categorized into four types:
- NT1: Changes were introduced after the first tone.
- NT2: Changes were introduced after the second tone.
- NT3: Changes were introduced after the third tone.
- NT4: Changes were introduced after the fourth tone.
This approach let them study how the brain spots and handles changes in music patterns we know.
The researchers collected detailed MEG data, looking at how people’s brains reacted to each note in the sequences. Then, they used advanced statistical methods to analyze the differences in brain activity between the memorized and novel sequences.
Key Findings on Brain Responses to Familiar vs. Unfamiliar Music
The study uncovered fascinating differences in how our brains respond to familiar and unfamiliar music:
- Distinct neural signatures: The brain showed unique responses to each note in familiar sequences compared to new ones. This suggests that our brains process familiar music differently even just from the first note. In fact, the study found that huge responses already happened about 350-450 ms after each note started.
- Faster recognition: Participants were quicker to recognize and respond to familiar musical sequences. This means our brains might have a “shortcut” for processing melodies we know. Interestingly, people were less accurate and slower to respond to NT4 sequences, where the change was in the last note.
- Oscillatory differences: Alpha and beta brain waves were stronger when listening to novel sequences. In contrast, gamma waves were stronger for familiar music. This pattern might be linked to the good feelings we often have with familiar tunes.
- Musical expertise effect: The researchers found that people with more musical training had stronger brain responses, especially for new variations. This suggests that knowing more about music helps the brain process and recognize the patterns better.
How Familiar Music Makes Us Happy
Familiar music can affect certain parts of the brain.
Based on the findings, familiar music increased gamma power in the left hippocampus and Heschl’s gyrus, and the cingulate gyrus. This increase indicates heightened memory and emotional engagement.
The hippocampus, which helps with memory, helps recall past experiences linked to the music.
The cingulate gyrus, which helps process emotions, makes the emotional impact of these memories stronger.
Heschl’s gyrus, part of the hearing area of the brain, processes the sound and sends this information to these memory and emotion-related areas.
When a song you know starts playing, your brain lights up, engaging areas involved in sound processing, memory recall, and emotional responses.
The brain regions activated by familiar music are also closely linked to the brain’s reward system. This triggers the release of dopamine – the same chemical associated with feelings of pleasure and reward. That’s why you get chills or feel a surge of happiness when that chorus hits just right.
The brain’s ability to predict what comes next in music also plays a big role in why familiar music feels rewarding.
When you listen to a familiar song, your brain can predict what comes next. And, this accurate prediction is satisfying and reinforces the pleasure of listening.
This is because alpha and beta brain waves were stronger when listening to new sequences. Meaning, you exert more mental effort and attention to process unfamiliar music.
On the other hand, gamma waves were stronger for familiar music. These waves are often linked to putting information together and feeling pleasure and reward.
Why Is This Important?
Beyond making you feel good and justifying our love for music, this research this research has wider uses for cognitive studies and health.
One particularly exciting potential application is using music recognition and response as a screening tool for dementia.
Dementia affects how we think, including memory, attention, and problem-solving skills.
Traditional diagnostic methods often rely on observing cognitive decline over time. But, that means you’ll have to wait a while before getting diagnosed. By measuring how the brain reacts to familiar music, researchers can potentially detect early signs of cognitive decline.
Familiar music turns on specific brain areas involved in memory and emotional processing. So, differences from normal activation patterns could show the early stages of dementia before more noticeable symptoms appear.
This early detection could allow for earlier interventions and better management of the condition.
The study also opens up ways for future research to look at how these brain mechanisms change as we get older or in people with cognitive impairments. This can help researchers develop targeted therapies that use music to stimulate and enhance brain function.
It could be especially helpful for conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, where music therapy has already shown promise in improving mood and thinking abilities in patients.
Also, the study’s findings show how important familiar music is in turning on emotional centers and movement functions in the brain. This involvement is key for understanding how music can help with controlling emotions and recalling memories.
For instance, familiar music can activate brain areas involved in both emotional responses and motor coordination, which can be used to design interventions for improving emotional well-being and motor function in individuals with neurological conditions.