Setting the Stage: Neurobiological Effects of Music on the Brain

A closer look at how the brain functions can reveal a deeper understanding of how and why we are so moved by music. Music causes changes in the brain, both with immediate exposure and over time. Music is processed by various areas of the brain (the cortex, the limbic system, the neuroendocrine and autonomic nervous systems, etc.). The result is that music exerts an effect not only on our brain, but also on our bodies. In this 2018 article, Samata Sharma and David Silbersweig of the Harvard Medical School affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital examine whether our response to music may hold the key to mitigate collective disease severity and improve wellness across populations.