Christopher Martinez

English Composition

Lisa Rogal M/W

Can music have an impact on our brain and thought process?

Music has been seen as a healing force to many in times of tyranny, chaos, and depression. As the human race has evolved so have the ways of music. It has become a way of expression, and since we are expressive creatures, it is no wonder that music has a big impact on our brain. As many studies have shown, including the following, music helps our memory, creativity, and even our communication, among other things.

Throughout our development, music plays a huge factor, because our brain links meaningful events with sound. As Johns Hopkins Medicine states, “When 13 older adults took piano lessons, their attention, memory and problem-solving abilities improved, along with their moods and quality of life.”  This illustrates that music can improve memory, among other functions of the brain. This is due to the Hippocampus, an area located in the brain and music produces new neurons and improves by increasing neurogenesis as the University of Central Florida’s Yonetani says. This means that music has a big impact on our brain and how it works because and how sound communicates with it. Johns Hopkins Medicine expresses, “Research has shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain as well as improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness, and memory.”  This explains that music can also have an impact on our emotions, and other functions in the body. Although this is no surprise because the brain controls the body and is one of the most important parts of the body and since music benefits the brain in its abilities and also benefits the rest of the body. Other research from Johns Hopkins Medicine says, “New music challenges the brain in a way that old music doesn’t. It might not feel pleasurable at first, but that unfamiliarity forces the brain to struggle to understand the new sound.” This seems very logical because when you are introduced to a new sound for the first time, for instance, some might feel uncomfortable until they become familiar with it, and this means the brain is trying to understand the new sound and determine if they like it or not. 

The relationship between sound and the brain goes back to our primitive stages, going back to the basic functions of speech, hearing, touch, scent, and sight. As The National Center for Biotechnology Information states, “…increases in size elsewhere in the human brain have occurred, notably in the temporal lobes, especially the dorsal area that relates to the auditory reception of speech. The expansion of primary and association auditory cortices and their connections, associated with the increased size of the cerebellum and areas of prefrontal and premotor cortex linked through basal ganglia structures, heralded a shift to an aesthetics based on sound, and to abilities to entrain to external rhythmic inputs. The first musical instrument used by our ancestors was the voice. The ear is always open and, unlike vision and the eyes of the gaze, sound cannot readily be averted. From the rhythmic beating within and with the mother’s body for the fetus and young infant, to the primitive drum-like beating of sticks on wood and hand-clapping of our adolescent and adult proto-speaking ancestors, the growing infant is surrounded by and responds to the rhythm.” This explains that through evolution we developed the abilities to interact with sound because of an increase in the cerebellum, which is in the back of the brain and it coordinates movement and stores our memories. And for this reason, we react to music the way do and we associate memory with sound because of this. And through singing, we are able to express emotion much like body language. This is shown in the many different types of genres in music that express different emotions and are a big influence on people’s everyday lives. When people are at the gym, for instance, planet fitness, there is music like pop and hip hop which serves the purpose of bringing the mood of gymnasts up with upbeat sounds. 

Music seems to play a very big impact on human interaction and history. Throughout the decades, music has defined each one. The 1980s is a big example of this because of its explosion of pop music and culture. For instance, The People’s History states, “Some of the superstars to emerge were Madonna, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Prince. They experienced a level of fame and success not seen since Elvis Presley and the Beatles. These stars influenced fashion through their music videos, giving fans a first-hand glimpse into emerging trends. Their songs set the gold standard for what pop music should be, and through constant reinvention, they were able to navigate the pop culture world and keep themselves relevant. Thirty years on, they are still the standard that today’s pop stars get compared to. This explains that because of the music of these artists, the fashion of many people was influenced, and the culture too. And this, in turn, caused a change in how humans interacted, a change in music and sound, a sound that made you want to get down, and dance. The National Center for Biotechnology Information explains, “Music provides and provokes a response, which is universal, ingrained into our evolutionary development, and leads to marked changes in emotions and movement.” And for this reason, there is pop music in most of the dance clubs because music provokes a response, especially music that has high tunes. 

Lastly, my research has concluded that music is a representation of many things, like time, but it is also a healing resource. It has been proven that it is another form of expression, and it is a positive thing to have, especially in times of crisis. Sound has been our friend since we evolved to listen to it, and it benefits all ages, old and young. Music benefits our brain and thought process and helps us remember. 

Bibliography

Pearson, Steve. “Music Played in the 1980’s Popular Music From the 80s.” The People History, www.thepeoplehistory.com/80smusic.html.

“Music and the Brain: What Happens When You’re Listening to Music.” Pegasus Magazine, www.ucf.edu/pegasus/your-brain-on-music/.

Trimble, Michael, and Dale Hesdorffer. “Music and the Brain: the Neuroscience of Music and Musical Appreciation.” BJPsych International, The Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1 May 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5618809/.

“Keep Your Brain Young with Music.” Keep Your Brain Young with Music | Johns Hopkins Medicine, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/keep-your-brain-young-with-music.