The Neurochemistry of Music

The Neurochemistry of Music
Written by Mona Lisa Chanda and Daniel J. Levitin

Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, QC H3A 1B1, Canada

Music is usedto regulatemoodand arousal in everydaylife and to promote physical and psychological health and well-being in clinical settings. However, scientific inquiry into the neurochemical effects of music is still in its infancy. In this review, we evaluate the evidence that music improves health and well-being through the engagement of neurochemical systems for (i) reward, motivation, and pleasure; (ii) stress and arousal; (iii) immunity; and (iv) social affiliation. We discuss the limitations of these studies and outline novel approaches for integration of conceptual and technological advances from the fields of music cognition and social neuroscience into studies of the neurochemistry

of music.

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