A few notes can be enough to take you right back to a distant memory. One song, and suddenly you find yourself at a party in a friend’s house, or on a flight to a memorable holiday.
This unique power of music has been deciphered in a new study, published in the journal Human Brain Mapping. Researchers at the Brain and Creativity Institute at USC Dornsife in California sought to understand which neural mechanisms allow music to revive personal memories.
To do this, they used functional MRI to analyse the brain activity of 60 participants aged 18 and over while they listened to songs that were significant in their lives. The scientists observed that a very specific neural signature is activated when music awakens autobiographical memories.
This phenomenon involves two major brain networks: the “default mode network”, associated with memory and self-reflection, and the reward circuitry, responsible for the experience of pleasure. In other words, listening to a significant song is like activating both our most intimate memories and our reward system.
“Music is deeply intertwined with our sense of identity and personal history. Nostalgic songs don’t just bring back memories – they activate the brain in ways that could support emotional well-being and cognitive function, especially in individuals living with memory impairments,” study co-author Assal Habibi explained.
Beyond its emotional significance, this discovery opens up promising therapeutic prospects. A simple playlist could thus become a valuable tool for people with memory disorders, particularly those with Alzheimer’s disease.
Some care facilities now use approaches based on sound familiarity – for example, a known melody could facilitate the ritualisation of washing or dressing a resident. Other establishments are installing devices that play specific music in each activity room to help patients find their bearings in space and time.
It is an approach that is both creative and scientifically sound, helping to revive fragments of the self that were thought to be lost.