The brain benefits of music

The experience of music is really a whole-brain activity, says Professor Sarah Wilson, Head of the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences at the University of Melbourne.

“When we’re listening to music, what we see when we put people in the scanner is that large areas of their brain light up – both hemispheres. That’s because music involves many different networks or systems in the brain,” Professor Wilson says.

There’s all sorts of debate in the research literature as to why we are even musical, she adds.

“When we think about music, it is something unique to being human. Other species, animals, they don’t really use music in the way that we do. They might have song, or calls, but these are more simple, for mating purposes, or the like.

“No other species uses a complex musical system like we do.”

Professor Wilson explains that while you’re listening to music, you’re giving your brain a general workout.

“You’re not only exercising the music-related bits, you’re also exercising your memory, you’re exercising the language system, you’re exercising all these other networks. So, that’s what, potentially, is protective. It’s based on that use it or lose it principle.”

Episode recorded: September 8, 2020.

Interviewer: Dr Andi Horvath.

Producer, audio engineer and editor: Chris Hatzis.

Co-production: Silvi Vann-Wall and Dr Andi Horvath.

Banner: Getty Images