Chema González, a neurologist: “Music opens the doors to the brain, allowing memories to be retrieved through pathways other than the traditional ones”

Music is an everyday part of life for thousands of people. Whether driving, commuting to or from work, heading to the gym, or traveling almost anywhere, it enhances the experience for those who want to relax, enjoy their favorite songs, or simply have something playing in the background.

In addition, music stands out as an activity capable of activating nearly every region of the brain at the same time, functioning almost like a form of therapy for brain care and maintenance. When we listen to or play music, it triggers a series of chemical processes that improve overall health and cognitive abilities.

In this context, Chema González, a neurologist and science communicator on social media, shared a TikTok video explaining why “music has a powerful effect on the brain.” He begins by saying, “Music therapy is an incredibly fascinating field that I believe deserves much more scientific research.”

Referring to the results of a study in which he was directly involved, González explains, “On one hand, there is the soundtrack of your life, made up of songs that accompanied important moments and help you relive special experiences. These songs create memories tied to key and deeply meaningful events.”

He then discusses “iconic popular songs” and what he calls “random songs”: “There are well-known popular songs that everyone recognizes, but that may not mean much to you personally. Then there are random songs that share a similar rhythm to the ones you like, but that you have never heard before,” he explains.

“We should cultivate musical sensitivity”

González goes on to describe as “beautiful” the way “songs connected to important autobiographical events link brain regions associated with emotional networks to those involved in autobiographical memory.”

“These songs opened pathways in the brain to retrieve memories through routes different from traditional memory,” he notes. He concludes by highlighting music’s potential role in combating Alzheimer’s disease: “Music can bring back lost memories. This emotion-linked network, which is capable of retrieving memories, is much more resistant to Alzheimer’s disease. We should all cultivate musical skills and sensitivity, since they have truly remarkable effects on the brain.”

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