Neural correlates of music listening and recall: implications for music-based interventions

Music listening and recall activate several interconnected brain networks, particularly regions involved in sensory, motor, cognitive, emotional, reward and memory processes. Recent studies suggest that engagement with music may modulate dopaminergic and serotonergic systems, enhancing emotion regulation and stimulating neural pathways linked to memory and motor functions. Moreover, evidence suggests that activation of the reward system in response to pleasurable or emotionally significant music may have an impact on memory consolidation. This thesis delves into existing neuroscientific research, with an emphasis on studies that investigate how music activates brain regions related to cognition, emotion, and memory. Additionally, Individual differences in white matter microstructure have been explored to predict differences in music reward sensitivity, providing further evidence of the interaction between the reward system and higher-order cortical areas in music-induced pleasure. The aim of the thesis is to inspect current neuroscientific findings on how music affects the brain, while exploring how this knowledge can be used to develop more targeted and effective music-based interventions (MBIs). While music-based interventions have been shown to enhance memory and well-being for clinical populations, there is a need for a further development of rigorous, neuroscience based research to validate their efficacy and develop standardized, evidence-based protocols. By expanding neuroscientific research on music and MBIs, more accessible, affordable, targeted and effective interventions can be developed.