Specific neuronal mechanisms process music to induce emotional states
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
confidence 88/100
Convergent neuroimaging and electrophysiological evidence demonstrates that specific cortical and subcortical neural mechanisms process music to induce emotional and rewarding states.
Evidence for · 6
Neural correlates of emotional responses to music: an EEG study.
2014 · cited by 131
Identifies specific neural correlates and EEG patterns associated with music-induced emotions over the prefrontal cortex.
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More for · 5
Commentary: Predictions and the brain: how musical sounds become rewarding
2017 · cited by 56
Links musical sounds to rewarding experiences via predictive processes and dopamine release in the brain's pleasure networks.
Electroencephalography reflects the activity of sub-cortical brain regions during approach-withdrawal behaviour while listening to music
2019 · cited by 54
Demonstrates that prefrontal EEG asymmetry reflects underlying activity changes in sub-cortical emotional and reward networks while listening to music.
On joy and sorrow: Neuroimaging meta-analyses of music-induced emotion
2025 · cited by 10
Provides a quantitative meta-analysis showing that specific cortical and subcortical brain regions are systematically activated during the processing of emotional music.
Decoding Musical Valence And Arousal: Exploring The Neural Correlates Of Music Evoked Emotions And The Role Of Expressivity Features
2024 · cited by 6
Shows that variations in musical features modulate activity in specific valence, arousal, and reward brain networks such as the amygdala and thalamus.
Neural Correlates of Music and Emotion
2018 · cited by 3
Reviews extensive empirical literature demonstrating consistent neural correlates for the perception and induction of emotions via music.