Whether Bach, Beethoven, or Mozart, it's widely recognized that classical music can affect a person's mood. In a study published August 9 in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports , scientists in China use brainwave measurements and neural imaging techniques to show how Western classical music elicits its positive effects on the brain. Their goal is to find more effective ways to use music to activate the brain in those who otherwise don't respond, such as people with treatment-resistant depression.
Our research integrates the fields of neuroscience, psychiatry , and neurosurgery, providing a foundation for any research targeting the interaction between music and emotion. Ultimately, we hope to translate our research findings into clinical practice, developing convenient and effective music therapy tools and applications." Bomin Sun, senior author, director and professor of the Center for Functional Neurosurgery, Shanghai Jiao Tong University The study focused on 13 patients with treatment-resistant depression who already had electrodes implanted in their brains for the purpose of deep-brain stimulation.
These implants are placed in a circuit connecting two areas in the forebrain-;the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Using these implants, the researchers found that music generates its antidepressant effects by synchronizing the neural oscillations between the auditory cortex, which is responsible for processing of sensory information, a.