Music

Music is a complex human phenomenon, the perception of which involves a variety of neural processes. Data from neuroimaging, neurophysiologic, and lesion-based studies provide valuable evidence of the neural substrates that underlie the perception of musical aspects such as pitch, melody, rhythm, timbre, and musical syntax. Furthermore, these studies shed light on the relationship between music and language, music-induced emotion, and neural plasticity caused by musical training. Through the systematic examination of musical components, neuroscientists have begun to describe a compelling model of how the auditory brain processes and perceives the complex sounds of music.