As Christmas approaches, the streets fill with lights and radios play familiar songs that evoke emotions and memories. But what makes a simple song have the power to transport us through time? The answer lies in the brain, more precisely in the limbic system, where music and emotion meet.
It's a cold, rainy November morning. I'm running late for work, and my umbrella is waging an unequal battle against the wind. As I walk to my car, I think about the day's tasks and my to-do list before Christmas: buying presents, sending emails, wishing everyone happy holidays, getting work organized before going on vacation.
I get into the car on autopilot and turn on the radio. At the first chords of "All I Want for Christmas," I start to smile. I'm transported back to family Christmases, to laughter around the dinner table, and to overindulging in food. Needless to say, I drive to work feeling more cheerful and plan all my Christmas shopping while humming along to the festive songs playing on the radio.
But how exactly does music have the power to evoke memories and emotions like nostalgia?
The explanation lies in the limbic system, the network of brain structures that regulates emotions and memories, and which is crucial in processing auditory stimuli such as music. It contains the amygdala, hippocampus, and hypothalamus, located in the temporal lobes and deeper regions of the brain. The amygdala regulates emotions; the hippocampus stores memories; and the hypothalamus acts as a link between the nervous system and the endocrine system, controlling physiological responses associated with emotions, such as heart rate. Thus, when we listen to a familiar song, these three areas work together: the amygdala processes the emotions associated with the experience, the hippocampus connects that emotion to memories, and the hypothalamus triggers the physical reactions we feel. This is why a simple song can transport us, in seconds, to a Christmas night from twenty years ago.
Furthermore, listening to music stimulates the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is part of the reward system and induces a feeling of pleasure and happiness. It is this mechanism that makes us smile, tap our feet, or even get goosebumps when we hear a melody that moves us. Music has become a form of communication used to evoke emotions and memories. This power is so strong that it even has therapeutic applications. In people with Alzheimer's disease, music therapy has gained popularity for its potential benefits in evoking memories and improving well-being.
So, the next time you hear "All I Want for Christmas," remember to explain to someone the power that music has on our brains. And, who knows, maybe give them a playlist this Christmas as a way to express yourself?
Tatiana P Morais, SfN – Minho Chapter
Swallowing hard because September has begun not only tightens the tonsils in the throat, but also activates the amygdala in the brain, the part of our brain responsible for managing emotions.
September marks a new beginning: the start of school, the beginning of a new career path, or the return to work. New cycles, new people, new routines, and with that, various feelings: excitement, anxiety, enthusiasm, fear, and curiosity. Many of these emotions originate and are processed in the so-called emotional center of our brain, the amygdala.
The amygdala is part of a region we call the limbic system, which is the command center for emotions in our brain. It is in this region that feelings such as fear, motivation, pleasure, and anxiety are developed and processed. The amygdala plays an important role in this system, functioning as an internal alarm. When exposed to changes in habits, such as a new class or a new job, this area of the brain is activated. Even if, rationally, we know there is no real danger, the amygdala can interpret the unknown as a possible risk, triggering feelings such as anxiety and stress. This explains that feeling of swallowing hard while looking at a new building or meeting new colleagues.
How to Calm the Amygdala and Manage Anxiety
One of the special characteristics of our brain is its malleability, and therefore there are strategies that can help us reduce amygdala reactivity and facilitate this transition period:
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Conscious breathing: deep breathing exercises activate a part of the brain that helps to calm and respond to stress, the parasympathetic nervous system.
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Gradual preparation: resuming routines little by little, such as adjusting sleep schedules before returning, reduces the impact of the changes.
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Talking about these feelings: naming emotions activates the most rational part of the brain, the prefrontal cortex, and helps regulate the emotional response of the amygdala.
Understanding what goes on inside our brain, knowing the various regions that compose it and how we can regulate them can help us cope better with periods of intense emotions.
September is a month of new beginnings, and this is also experienced in the brain, which needs to process and adjust to new contexts, routines, and feelings. It's challenging, but it's also a sign that something important is beginning.
Andreia Pinho, SfN Minho Chapter