If you have ever listened to a song that truly made you feel something, then chances are you got goosebumps. I know this has happened to me on multiple occasions.
Somewhere around half of the population has this reaction to their favorite music. Yet, for some time, the reason for it has been debated on. However, just this past year research was published that might finally give us the answer. The study was performed by Mathew Sachs, a former undergraduate at Harvard.
For the study, Sachs had 20 students go into the lab with a playlist of their favorite music. They then had their brains monitored through a brain-scanning technique known as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). This shows how different regions are, and how good the neural communications are between them.
Sachs discovered that those who managed to make the emotional and physical attachment to music have a different brain structure than those who do not. The findings, which were published on Oxford Academic, showed that showed that they had/have a denser volume of fibers that connect their auditory cortex and areas that process emotions. In other words, they are able to connect with music on a much deeper level than the group who did not get chills. It appears that because these fibers are thicker than average, it gives them an increased efficiency.
If you are someone who gets chills from music, then you are more likely to have stronger emotions than other people. While this study was a small one it was still quite informational. In doing this research, Sachs hopes to learn what neurologically causes these reactions. He believes that in time these reactions could tap into some sort of treatment for psychological disorders.
What do you think about all of this? I, for one, think it is pretty accurate! I have always felt like I have stronger emotions than most people, and I get chills from music. For more information on this subject check out the video below.
Inspired by articles that appeared on Neuroscience News and the Independent.
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