There are two conflicting theories in neuropsychology that attempt to explain music processing in the brain. In a recent review, Peretz and Zatorre (2005) argue that there is evidence that points to the existence of music-specific processing pathways in the brain. Alternatively, an earlier review by Peretz and Hyde (2003) suggests that the brain is not specialized for music, rather, it is specialized to process the fine and coarse acoustic cues related to music and speech. This paper will discuss an analysis of the evidence for both theories in order to determine which theory best accounts for the evidence to date.
Much of the evidence presented by Peretz and Zatorre (2005) surrounds music specificity in the brain, dissociable activities and auditory disorders. Current research suggests that there are neural processing components that are dedicated specifically to processing music (Peretz and Zatorre, 2005). The evidence for these specific processing components comes from the study of auditory disorders. While patients with auditory disorders are able to recognize spoken words, familiar voices and sounds in their environment, they are unable to recognize melodies (Peretz and Zatorre, 2005). Since speech recognition is spared in these patients, this evidence suggests that the damage is to neural processing components that are specific to music.
There are a number of musical abilities related to memory that are clearly dissociable from similar activities involving speech. The processes related to singing, music performance and sight-reading are all functionally and anatomically dissociable from related processes for speech production (Peretz and Zatorre, 2005). Research has found that the verbal production of words is mediated by ...
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...e which neural processing components are uniquely involved in music processing, and which are not. Conversely, the earlier research by Peretz and Hyde (2003) suggests that the differences in music and speech perception come from the perception of acoustic cues. Thus, they conclude that the specificity is in the perception of fine and coarse acoustic cues, rather than in the processing of the music and speech itself. Based on this analysis, and the evidence presented, the earlier research by Peretz and Hyde (2003) provides a stronger basis on which music processing in the brain can be described.
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Music has become increasingly popular in today’s society. When we are listening to music, our brain does much more than just process the sound. Music has been known to be able to affect human emotions and moods. The brain first categorizes sound into music through interactions between the low-level and high-level processing units (“How Our Brains Process Music”). The whole task begins with the auditory cortex in the brain which first receives a signal from the eardrum which in turn activates the cerebellum (“How Our Brains Process Music”). The cerebellum is the part of the brain that assists in coordination, precision, and timing of movement (“How Our Brains Process Music”). The ear and the cerebellum together as the low-level processing units allow the brain to start analyzing the sounds and break down the auditory stimulus into pitch, amplitude, timing of different notes, etc (“How Our Brains Process Music”).
Rauscher, F. H., Shaw, G. L., & Ky, K. N (1993). Music and spatial task performance.
Music stimulates multiple areas of the brain by provoking auditory, emotional, autonomic, and cognitive processing. Once the sound waves from the music are heard, signaling travels from the auditory system to the areas of the brain responsible for processing and dissecting the sound information. These areas are the primary auditory cortex, heschl’s gyrus, the frontal operculum, the superior temporal sulcus, and cortical language areas. Following sound processing, emotional processing of the sound heard takes place in the amygdala, cingulate gyrus, and medical orbitofrontal cortex of the brain. Feedback from the processed music can lead to physiological responses and changes in the autonomic nervous system as a result of the type of music heard (Nizamie and Tikka). For example, harsh, fast paced music tends to increase sympathetic nervous system activity (increased heart rate, faster breathing), whereas gentle, soothing music stimulates the body to relax, activating the parasympathetic nervous system (slower heart rate, lower blood pressure and slower breathing) (...
Whether you’re a devoted music enthusiast or you just listen to the radio to pass time, we all listen to music. However, when listening to music, nobody stops to think about what they are doing. Nobody stops to contemplate how the music they are listening to affects them psychologically. We just listen to the music and enjoy ourselves. In fact however, a great deal of research has been done to determine the psychophysiological effects of music. Many studies have been conducted to determine whether music can help people who suffer from psychological and medical disorders, Scholars continually debate whether music can influence behavior, and researchers are attempting to understand what is happening in our brain when we listen to music.
For any individual who either avidly listens to or performs music, it is understood that many melodies have amazing effects on both our emotions and our perception. To address the effects of music on the brain, it seems most logical to initially map the auditory and neural pathways of sound. In the case of humans, the mechanism responsible for receiving and transmitting sound to the brain are the ears. Briefly stated, the outer ear (or pinna) 'catches' and amplifies sound by funneling it into the ear canal. Interestingly, the outer ear serves only to boost high frequency sound components (1). The resonance provided by the outer ear also serves in amplifying a higher range of frequencies corresponding to the top octave of the piano key board. The air pressure wave travels through the ear canal to ultimately reach and vibrate the timpanic membrane (i.e.-- the eardrum). At this particular juncture, the pressure wave energy of sound is translated into mechanical energy via the middle ear. Here, three small bones, the ossicles, vibrate in succession to produce a unique pattern of movements that embodies the frequencies contained in every sound we are capable of hearing. The middle ear is also an important component in what music we actually keep out of our 'head'. The muscles grasping the ossicles can contract to prevent as much as two thirds of the sound from entering the inner ear. (1, 2)
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The brain is a very powerful organ, no doubt. It tells your body how to react and what to do. But what happens when you listen to music? How does your brain react? Let’s take a look.
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When we listen to music a number of things occur: we process sound through the auditory complex, an artist’s movement through the visual cortex, dancing and other rhythmical movement through the cerebellum. The Motor Cortex also enables movement such as foot tapping or hand clapping. Our Hippocampus stores our experiences through music and enables musicians to remember musical pieces. Finally, the Amygdala allows for emotional reactions to music. Because music is a combination of our different senses, we as individuals can process things differently and naturally we will like some genres more than others. Music is one of th...
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