Pleasure Centers in the Brain Linked to Music and More

Music, an integral part of both ancient and modern cultures, has long been recognized as a source of pleasure. Canadian researchers delved into the physiological aspects of musical enjoyment and found intriguing connections with other pleasurable activities. Scientific Reports recently published their groundbreaking work.

Numerous studies have shown that both playing and listening to music can elevate levels of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin. Participants in surveys often rank music as a primary source of pleasure, surpassing even food, money, and visual arts.

However, the specific neural processes underlying the pleasure of music have remained unclear. Physiologically, satisfaction is traditionally divided into two phases: desire and anticipation, followed by reactions to the outcome. The first phase (appetitive) is linked to a network of dopaminergic neurons, while the second (consummatory) involves both dopaminergic and opioid neurons.

To investigate whether pleasure from physiological stimuli and music shares a common nature, McGill University scientists conducted an experiment. Seventeen students participated, listening to compositions that induced feelings of pleasure over two days. Simultaneously, they were administered naltrexone (an opioid receptor inhibitor) or a placebo.

The researchers measured participants' reactions to music using a 100-point subjective rating scale, interviews, and electromyography (EMG). The results revealed that naltrexone reduced the intensity of both negative and positive physiological reactions. Interestingly, the drug diminished the pleasure derived from enjoyable music but had no effect on the perception of neutral music.