Do People’s Brain Waves Synchronize When They Sing Together?

People’s brain waves synchronize when they sing together, which might show that the ability to work well with others is largely because of brain structure, research suggests. Pairs of musicians were observed as each one performed a different part of a song, and researchers found that every participant had similar brain activity in the frontal lobe, the part of the brain responsible for social cognition. Researchers concluded that perhaps the ability to coordinate actions with others is based on brain activity, making it likely that musicians, athletes and other people who work as teams have brains that are stronger in the frontal lobe.

More about music’s effect on the brain:

• Listening to music triggers dopamine, a brain chemical that causes feelings of pleasure. It is the same process that occurs when one takes certain drugs or engages in sexual activities.
• Patients have reported hearing music when the auditory cortex area of their brain receives electrical stimulation by a doctor.
• The act of listening to music could cause the body to produce the antibody immunoglobulin A, which might prevent illness.