Brain On Music: Find Out How Researchers Explain Last- Song Syndrome!

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Whether someone enjoys Macklemore and Ryan Lewis or prefers reading with Bach, music has the power to calm down or pump up. The scientists are trying hard to find out what happens to the brain when someone listens to music and the effects on psyche claims latest research.

"We're using music to better understand brain function in general," said Daniel Levitin, a famous psychologist at McGill University in Montreal. There were mainly three studies that were published that explore how the brain reacts to music. In fact, the quest to dissect what chemical changes occur within the brain when listening to music isn't over.

As per Fox News, the chemicals linked to the pleasure people usually get from drugs and sex plays a key role a. In fact, it plays an important role in how the brain would react to music or enjoy it, claimed a study in Canada. When people in the study took a drug that blocked chemical compounds, they didn't react to music, the study claimed.

According to the study, pleasure is experienced in two phases within the brain. The first phase is the anticipatory phase that is based on the neurotransmitter dopamine. The next phase as the researchers claimed is the consummatory phase or "liking" phase and depends on opioids within the brain as Live Science reported.

Some of the earlier studies showed that opioids play a role in how the pleasure people derive from music. The researchers gave the participants a drug called naltrexone. This drug blocks the effect of opioids in the brain.

In the study, almost 15 people were asked to choose two songs they consider pleasurable. The researchers also selected emotionally neutral music that didn't deliver any emotion. Before listening to the music, the participants were given placebo or naltrexone. The researchers then measured the participants' reaction.

The participants returned after a week and this time they were given the opposite treatment. For instance, naltrexone if they received placebo earlier and vice versa. Even though participants reaction were noted differently, the researchers claimed that the study was small.

According to them, more research is needed to before applying the results to the general population. Since they only blocked one part of the reward system within the brain. Future studies would require to focus opioid system interferes with dopamine while listening to music.