EEG-based functional connectivity uncovers frequency-specific brain network alterations induced by nostalgic music

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Music Psychology

Background:

• Nostalgic music evokes strong emotions and memories.
• Understanding the neural basis of music-evoked nostalgia is crucial for its therapeutic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying the effects of nostalgic music on brain functional connectivity.
• To compare brain activity patterns elicited by nostalgic versus non-nostalgic music using electroencephalography (EEG).

Main Methods:

• Utilized EEG-derived imaginary coherence (iCOH) to analyze functional connectivity, minimizing volume conduction artifacts.
• Recorded EEG data from 36 healthy participants passively listening to nostalgic and non-nostalgic music.
• Analyzed power spectral density (PSD) and iCOH across delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma frequency bands.

Main Results:

• Nostalgic music significantly increased subjective ratings of nostalgia, pleasantness, and arousal compared to non-nostalgic music.
• Nostalgic music led to increased delta-band PSD in frontal, central, and parieto-occipital regions.
• Significant increases in delta-band connectivity, theta-band frontotemporal connectivity, and alpha-band parieto-occipital connectivity were observed with nostalgic music.

Conclusions:

• Nostalgic music modulates brain function through frequency-specific connectivity patterns.
• Observed connectivity changes support roles in memory retrieval (delta), emotion-memory integration (theta), and visual processing (alpha).
• Nostalgic music holds potential for emotional regulation and therapeutic interventions.