This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession

A fascinating exploration of the relationship between music and the mind ;and the role of melodies in shaping our lives Whether you load your iPod with Bach or Bono, music has a significant role in your life ;even if you never realized it. Why does music evoke such powerful moods? The answers are at last be- coming clear, thanks to revolutionary neuroscience and the emerging field of evolutionary psychology. Both a cutting-edge study and a tribute to the beauty of music itself, This Is Your Brain on Musicunravels a host of mysteries that affect everything from pop culture to our understanding of human nature, including: " Are our musical preferences shaped in utero? " Is there a cutoff point for acquiring new tastes in music? " What do PET scans and MRIs reveal about the brain's response to music? " Is musical pleasure different from other kinds of pleasure? This Is Your Brain on Musicexplores cultures in which singing is considered an essential human function, patients who have a rare