A new study by Anglia Ruskin University reveals that brain activity synchronises between patients and therapists during music therapy sessions. The breakthrough uses brain hyperscanning to track subtle changes in emotional processing, offering a more precise understanding of the therapeutic impact.
Researchers found music to be as effective as midazolam in lowering anxiety before anesthetic procedures. The study used Marconi Union's 'Weightless' song and noise-canceling headphones to reduce anxiety levels.
A clinical trial suggests music can reduce anxiety before peripheral nerve block, with similar effects as midazolam. However, patients in the music group were less satisfied due to limited music choice, and communication was harder.
Researchers found Snowball's movement diversity is not limited to humans, suggesting an innate ability to respond to music with intentional movements. The study proposes five traits that may explain the shared natural ability to dance in humans and parrots.
Finnish researchers compiled guidelines for international use of music to support spoken language development in hearing-impaired children. Music, particularly singing, benefits the brain and perception of speech and prosody in these children.
Scientists translate amino acid sequences into musical compositions, then use AI to generate new proteins with desired features. The method also enables the creation of bio-based musical pieces.
A new UBC study reveals that upbeat music can increase heart rate and enjoyment during high-intensity interval training (HIIT), making it more appealing to less-active individuals. The research found that motivational music with a fast tempo was particularly effective in enhancing physical and emotional responses to exercise.
Research suggests that strobe lighting at electronic dance music festivals triples the risk of epileptic fits in susceptible individuals. Organisers are advised to issue warnings and provide preventive measures for those with photosensitive epilepsy.
A study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) revealed that humans are more sensitive to pitch than macaque monkeys. The human brain's auditory cortex is more responsive when comparing tonal sounds to equivalent noisy sounds, suggesting that speech and music may have shaped the basic organization of the human brain.
A new study found that pill testing services at music festivals may be most effective in reducing harm for people trying ecstasy for the first time, as they are most cautious after a pill test. However, prior users who are high in sensation seeking are at the greatest risk of harm, even with a pill test. Introducing counselling and dru...
A study found that listening to music at home reduced symptom severity, pain intensity, and fatigue in breast cancer patients. Music therapy also reduced physical and mental fatigue instantly.
Research using functional MRI found that music-based care plans enhanced brain circuit connectivity in preterm infants. This suggests music may improve future socio-cognitive function and prevent brain deficits.
The Radio Me project uses AI to adapt and personalize live radio, providing personalized reminders, information, and music for people with dementia. The system aims to improve quality of life and reduce hospital admissions by up to 30%.
A QUT study found 68% of drivers willing to use apps blocking texting, web browsing, and email, as long as hands-free calls are permitted. However, only 37% were prepared to block all phone use if it meant sacrificing music functions.
A new model demonstrates how a network of neurons can act as a 'neuronal metronome' by accurately estimating time intervals between beats within tens of millisecond accuracy. This framework relies on rhythmic brain activity patterns known as gamma oscillations to keep track of time.
Researchers at the University of Utah Health found that pairing music with pain medications improved analgesic outcomes by up to 90% in mouse models. The study showed significant reductions in inflammation and pain responses, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy for managing pain.
A study published in Heliyon found that trained musicians exhibit greater executive control of attention than non-musicians, with improved performance linked to increased years of training. This suggests that musical training can enhance cognitive abilities beyond music-specific skills.
A recent study from the UBC Sauder School of Business found that sleepier consumers tend to buy more diverse types of products to help them stay awake. The study reveals that even after controlling for other factors, sleep-deprived individuals exhibit a greater desire for variety in their shopping choices.
A new study by the University of Missouri found that pop music lyrics contain similar amounts of violence and misogyny as rap and hip-hop. Nearly one-third of popular songs analyzed contained references that degrade or demean women, highlighting the need for parental discussions about tricky lyrics.
Research at McGill University found that musically unexpected events elicit reward prediction errors in the nucleus accumbens, a brain region associated with musical pleasure. This discovery establishes music as a neurobiological reward capable of motivating learning and pleasurable listening experiences.
Combining rock and R&B singers or pop stars and rappers boosts a song's popularity, studies show. The difference between genres increases the likelihood of reaching the top 10 charts.
The study found that the expression of anger in popular music increased gradually over seven decades, peaking in 2015. The expression of sadness, disgust, and fear also increased over time, with joy becoming a milder tone in recent years.
A new study published in PNAS reveals a causal link between dopamine and the reward responses in humans when listening to music. Researchers found that dopamine manipulation led to opposite effects on musical pleasure and motivation, with levodopa increasing hedonic experience and risperidone reducing both.
Researchers found that dopamine precursor levodopa increased hedonic experience and motivational responses, while dopamine antagonist risperidone reduced both. These results suggest that dopamine modulates the reward experiences elicited by music, challenging previous evidence in animal models.
Researchers found that dopamine plays a crucial role in music-evoked pleasure, with levodopa increasing motivation to purchase songs. The study used pharmacological manipulation to alter dopamine levels, revealing its impact on brain reward responses.
A team of researchers at McMaster University discovered a way to analyze how musicians intuitively coordinate with each other during performances, predicting their movements to convey emotions. The study found that musicians predicted each other's movements more when playing expressively than non-expressively.
Researchers propose using sound-based network management for tasks like datacenter server fan failure detection, authentication, load balancing and congestion notification. Music-defined networking leverages sounds from real or virtual devices to augment existing network components with sound capabilities.
A study by Society for Consumer Psychology found that hiding information about consumption choices increases sense of connection. Researchers conducted experiments where participants were asked to keep their brand choices secret, revealing that secrecy intensified self-brand connections and increased loyalty.
Researchers found that marmosets prefer melodies with consistent dependencies, mirroring human language structures. This discovery implies that primates already possessed this cognitive ability, shared with humans, around 30 million years ago.
Researchers found that music and pictures evoke strong positive emotions due to personal memories, especially for social and positive feelings like tenderness and joy. The study also showed that personal memories play a crucial role in triggering sad emotions in response to music and pictures, particularly for dementia patients.
Research suggests that innate auditory perception skills play a significant role in shaping the neural encoding of speech during music training. Volunteers with higher musical listening abilities exhibited enhanced neural encoding of speech cues, comparable to those with extensive formal music training.
A study published in Music Perception reveals that children with hearing impairments who engage in regular music activities exhibit better speech perception in noisy conditions. The results suggest that parental singing and daily musical engagement are crucial for developing communication skills.
University of Surrey academic Dr Mike Franjieh has been recognized for preserving two endangered languages on the South Pacific island of Ambrym in Vanuatu. His research has created usable spelling systems and recorded cultural practices, benefiting community members and future generations.
Researchers transformed a Martian sunrise photo into a two-minute piece of music, with quiet harmonies and brighter sounds created by the sun disk. The work showcases image sonification's potential in analyzing planet surfaces and atmospheres, as well as health science applications.
A new study found that explicit anti-piracy warnings with graphics are the most effective way to stop music piracy. Researchers tested 220 college undergraduates' reactions to various symbols, action words, and warning phrases, finding that those conveying risk and pairing repercussions were the most effective.
Scientists at Queen Mary University of London created an app that challenges users to play Clapping Music, a complex piece written by Steve Reich. The app collected data from over 100,000 players and found that changing rhythms is harder than playing individual rhythms, with average accuracy varying greatly between difficulty levels
Leading hip-hop music videos over five years featured tobacco and marijuana use, with combustible products appearing most frequently. The study's findings highlight the genre's influence on youth behavior and contribute to growing public health concerns.
A study found that 40-50% of leading hip-hop music videos from 2013-2017 contained tobacco and marijuana use, with brand placement increasing with song popularity. The prevalence of combustible or electronic use rose with songs' popularity, particularly among young people.
Reyna Gordon, PhD, has received a $2.3 million NIH Director's New Innovator Award to investigate the relationship between rhythm and speech disorders. Her research aims to identify health phenotypes that share a biological basis with humans' musical rhythm abilities.
A recent study from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business found that uncertain rewards motivate consumers to make repeat purchases. This phenomenon is attributed to the psychological boost consumers receive in moving from uncertainty to certainty resolution.
Researchers discovered that children without autism who participated in music classes with autistic peers displayed increased empathy and a decrease in antisocial emotions. Children with autism reported feeling less victimized after participating in music lessons, which could lead to improved social interactions and reduced bullying.
Researchers have developed printable metal tags that reflect WiFi signals, turning everyday objects into 'smart' Internet of Things devices. These tags can be attached to various objects and track user interactions, such as water bottle hydration levels or motor activity after a stroke.
A new study from University Hospitals Connor Integrative Health Network reveals that improvisational music therapy can effectively manage acute pain and improve mood in adult patients with sickle cell disease. Music therapy, when actively engaged with a therapist, has a stronger impact on pain management than passive listening to music.
Highly empathic individuals process familiar music with greater involvement of the brain's reward system and areas responsible for processing social information. They also experience increased pleasure and activation of the social circuitry, indicating that music functions as a proxy for human interaction.
A low-cost music playschool significantly improved the development of children's phoneme processing and vocabulary skills compared to peers attending dance lessons or none. The study suggests regular music playschool lessons can positively impact preschoolers' linguistic abilities.
Research at the University of the Arts Helsinki found that multisensory experiences improve sales and comfort in shops and restaurants by combining elements like food, lighting, sound, and atmosphere. The study showed a 20% increase in fruit and vegetable sales after playing nature sounds in a grocery shop.
A new UCI study finds that successful songs exhibit distinct behavior, with happier, more partylike tunes by women dominating the charts. The researchers analyzed over half a million songs and found an 85% accuracy rate in predicting hits.
A study by Indiana University's Kelley School of Business found that top-rated reviewers on online retail sites like Amazon.com may not have as much impact on sales as expected. Instead, less frequent and more informal reviewers can be seen as more trustworthy and influential.
Researchers found that music activates the salience network of the brain, which remains relatively functioning in individuals with Alzheimer's disease. The study suggests that personalized music programs may be an alternative route for communicating with patients who have lost contact with their environment.
A study of 92 trials found that music significantly decreased anxiety and pain in surgical patients, with a reduction of 21 mm in anxiety and 10 mm in pain. The findings suggest guidelines for implementing music interventions during surgery can be created.
A new study by the American Heart Association found that an intervention using hip hop music increased stroke awareness for economically-disadvantaged children and their parents. The program improved knowledge of stroke symptoms among children from 2% to 57% right after the intervention.
A study of 55 Indian children aged 6-24 months found they were attracted to music and could identify themselves in videos at various stages. However, despite interacting with parents during smartphone viewing, the children did not learn anything from the YouTube clips.
Research highlights music therapy's effectiveness in treating traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic stress disorder among military personnel. Studies show that music can rebuild damaged neural connections, promote motivation, and improve patient outcomes.
Researchers at UTSA used GIS technology to map the city's live music venues, studios, and production companies, finding Districts 1, 8, and 9 are hubs for growth. The study also showed a correlation between the music scene and alcohol sales.
Researchers at the UPV/EHU develop two new methods for generating and classifying music, one based on genre classification using similar bertso melodies. These methods also enable the automatic generation of new melodies in various styles.
A study by the American College of Cardiology found that listening to music during a standard cardiac stress test can prolong activity and participation. On average, participants who listened to music exercised for almost one minute longer than those without music.
A study found that 82% of African American young adults who tried molly attributed its use to hip-hop music, particularly lyrics from artists like Kanye West and French Montana. Researchers suggest that hip-hop may be an effective source for prevention, health promotion, and harm reduction messages aimed at this demographic.
A new study reveals that noise sensitivity is related to differences in brain structure and sound processing, affecting individuals' ability to tolerate background noise. Research suggests that noise-sensitive people may experience difficulties with unexpected sounds and altered emotional responses to music.
Listening to motivational music during sports activities and exercise increases risk-taking behavior without improving overall performance. Self-selected music has a stronger effect on self-esteem among participants who are already performing well.
A study by Queen Mary University of London researchers found that robot drummer Mortimer's social media posts sparked significant human interaction, particularly when accompanied by photos and comments. Music proved to be a key factor in establishing believability and long-term engagement with the robot.