Brain responses to different musical styles in music lovers and non-music lovers: an analysis from the perspective of activation and functional connectivity of neural networks
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70478/Keywords:
fMRI, Music, Music lover, Functional connectivity, Music psychologyAbstract
This experimental study analyzes brain responses to different musical styles depending on the listener’s musical experience. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), both cortical activation and functional connectivity between brain regions (BOLD signals) were evaluated in two groups of participants: music lovers and non-music lovers. Subjects performed an active music listening task under four conditions: tonal music (excerpt from J.S. Bach), atonal music (original work without tonal structure), white noise, and silence. The results indicate significant differences between the two groups, with music lovers showing greater activation in areas associated with emotion, motor control, and sensorimotor integration, as well as broader and more consistent connectivity patterns between cortical and subcortical regions. In contrast, non-music lovers showed more localized and less intense responses. These findings suggest that familiarity and affinity with music influence the brain’s functional architecture during music listening. In conclusion, this study provides empirical evidence of the modulatory role of musical experience in the perception and neural processing of sound, highlighting how music is not only perceived but is also integrated differently depending on the listener’s background. These results may have relevant implications for the design of music-based interventions, both in educational and therapeutic contexts.
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