Distinct neural oscillatory patterns underlying music-evoked emotions: Evidence from MEG and subjective reports

Music has a powerful capacity to evoke emotional responses. This study explored the neural and subjective correlates of pleasant and unpleasant emotions elicited by music. 30 volunteers (15 women) listened to 60 film musical excerpts (30 unpleasant and 30 pleasant) from the Film Music Stimulus Set (FMSS) while their neural activity was recorded using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Participants gave self-reports of hedonic valence, emotional arousal, happiness, fear, and musical preference on nine-point Likert scales. Results showed that pleasant music was evaluated as more pleasant, happier, and preferred compared to unpleasant music, which was rated as more arousing and as evoking higher levels of fear. Neural activity revealed greater source-level oscillatory power for pleasant music in theta and beta frequency bands, with distinct regional patterns in the brain. These findings enhance understanding of music-induced emotions and suggest potential clinical applications for treating mood disorders and emotional dysregulation.