Can't Get It Out of My Head!!!
Perhaps the most annoying song in the world...and it just keeps repeating in your head afterward. It is EVIL. Truly EVIL.
Can this be mapped neurologically? Have scientists found a biological reason why or how some songs get "stuck" playing in your head over and over again even though you cringe every time you hear it or think of it? Yes, I'm talking about you, Aqua, in your Barbie World!!!
Can this be mapped neurologically? Have scientists found a biological reason why or how some songs get "stuck" playing in your head over and over again even though you cringe every time you hear it or think of it? Yes, I'm talking about you, Aqua, in your Barbie World!!!
I chose to comment on this particular article because I can easily relate to it. Just thinking back to the days I spent in the children's section of my home church, I remember how my teacher would play sing-along videos about the books of the Bible and other Bible stories. We would sing them over and over, and I would go home humming those tunes all day and at periodic intervals during the week. Ten years later, I still sing the song about the books of the Bible every time I have to find a passage. Like the rats in this article, my brain was able to assimilate sensory information and give it meaning.
ReplyDeleteWhen I stop to consider all the potential associated with an in-depth understanding of the brain, it's hard to imagine that this research could be anything but a godsend. I mean, we already know that in order for learning to occur, connections and pathways between nerves have to be developed and strengthened, but wouldn't it be great to know exactly how and when this happened? Personally, I have always found the brain's complexity and mechanisms fascinating, and the idea that we might be a step closer to pin-pointing where memory is generated and stored is elating. These discoveries could lead to breakthroughs in Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's, dementia, and even common learning deficiencies. We could actually change people's lives for better. For all its advantages, however, this research is something of a two-edged sword because it can lead to knowledge that can be misused and possibly used to violate an individual's rights. That said, I believe that we should approach this research with caution and a full understanding of its implications.
I believe this article to be completely true. Personally, I do not have a good memory and I cannot just sit at a desk, read, and take in everything I had just read. I tend to turn my school-work into songs, or simply just rhyme some of the key points I need memorized. This allows me to easily retain the information I am presented with.
ReplyDeleteLooking back to my childhood, this topic was still relevant. The way I learned all of the states, presidents, books of the Bible, the preamble, etc. were through song. Still to this day, if I am asked to name the states I sing through the song in my head. With this said, the rats results do not surprise me in any way, because I react in the same way.
Just responding to the article alone I have but one big question, if practicing listening to specific frequencies helps strengthen different portions of the brain, then were all of my high school teachers wrong when they say that listening to music and doing my homework would cause a decrease in efficiency? Is it actually strengthening my memory?
ReplyDeleteOn a more serious note, in diseases where there is damage or incorrect development of the striatum, like Huntington's which was mentioned in the article, can tonal training be used to strengthen and enlarge the deficient areas? It may never reach a normal standard but this may have opened a possible doorway for future therapy for many different neurological disorders.
Also, even though this song is evil and overloaded my striatum, that kid in the yellow is giving it his 100% best effort and had me laughing for a while.
My mom used to always tell me that when I could not get a song out of my head it as because I had an ear worm. I used to try for hours to get this "worm" put of my head. Of course it was to no avail, no matter how hard I tried I could not get the song out of my head. It would drive me crazy to hear that tune over and over again with no way of getting any other thought through my head. To me when I think about scientists using this idea to control or stimulate certain parts of the brain it worries me. I am fascinated about the potential of mapping the brains activity, but I am also terrified. When you can not get something out of your head the thing annoys you and does not help you. I believe that this therapy will be able to help provide help with neurological disorders. To help people officially get that "worm" out of their head.
ReplyDeleteFirst thoughts: Wow that song really is catching and annoying but kinda cute. This is study very interesting, it is incredible and exciting, but could also potentially go wrong and be used in controlling/manipulating manners, but still really cool! Then, after reading it over a few times ideas began to flow.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the results gained that "add to our understanding of how the brain processes sensations and forms memories to inform behavior" could help us to "undo" PTSD or even prevent PTSD. By doing some kind of stimulation training before going into a situation where one potentially could return with PTSD we could use these results (of course, with more experiments done and positive, promising results obtained) to "train" potential PTSD patients to channel the thoughts and situations as the traumatic occasion is happening then after it has occurred they also know how to channel the memories, their thoughts, and their emotions tied with them, and therefore they are able to better control their actions and the toll that the event takes on them.
Then I also wonder, (this is more of a psychological based thought) how much can we actually learn at different learning stages in life. Right now it is believed (based on experiments and time) that the human brain stops "growing" at age 25 but is constantly changing with different habits, seasons of life, life events, etc. (here is one link of many mapping out the generally accepted timeline of the human brain development https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_brain_development_timeline) Well, with this study and more like it I wonder if our continuous gaining of knowledge of our own minds could change the accepted timeline of human brain development. Possibly stretching our minds to new limits.
From an excited and hopeful student point of view to be able to "literally watched the synapses listen and learn to respond to very specific sounds over the course of the training" is INCREDIBLE and awesome! Just the ability to do that is fascinating, then to also read about the positive feedback from this experiment is...overwhelmingly positive. I can't help but think what else can science watch, listen to, and train in the rat brain that could lead to more understanding of how our own minds work and what positive advances can we take based on the results (whether good or bad/negative or positive) we've gained.
I find this article very interesting. The song is very catchy but I wonder if it stays in our memory because of the repetitiveness of its chorus. The experiment done in rats stimulated specific sounds, but what if those sounds were not stimulated or repeated enough then the synapse stimulated by the high or low frequency sound would not be strong enough then later on it wouldn't be as memorable. There is a strong connection between the recurrence of a stimuli and strenght of synapse. It is amusing how no other stimuli like vision cues influenced the strength of the synapse. This article relates to music therapy in parkinson's disease which is known to improve speech. (Haneishi E. Effects of a music therapy voice protocol on speech intelligibility, vocal acoustic measures, and mood of individuals with Parkinson's disease. Journal Of Music Therapy [serial online]. December 15, 2001;38(4):273-290. Available from: Education Full Text (H.W. Wilson), Ipswich, MA. Accessed September 6, 2015.)
ReplyDeleteRecalling that this experiment was done in rats there is more questions about how this would actually work in humans because we not only learn basic things like walking or eating but more profound things like morality. I am looking forward for further studies in this matter.
Wow! That video brought back memories for sure. I played the "Gummy Bear" song on repeat when I was younger. Every time I hear it, I feel the urge to bust a move like the children in the video. I guess it is just proof to the articles legitimacy.
ReplyDeleteOn a more serious note, the advances that are constantly being made in the realm of neuroscience blows my mind. Last year, the winners of the Noble Prize were neuroscientists studying how the hippocampus plays a role as our internal "GPS." Now, we learn from this study exactly how sounds can affect our learning skills and additionally our motor impulses.
This is exciting news if you or a loved one suffers from a neurological deficiency such as Huntington's disease, Alzheimers, dementia, etc. The thought of being able to use sound frequencies to strength synapses that would then translate into motor action and possible regaining of lost function should be celebrated. However, one cannot blindly jump into a "sound frequency" therapy without first analyzing all the possible pitfalls that may arise.
We have all seen in scifi movies and on TV shows how the government wipes a persons memory after they discovered the location of "area 51" or something like that; but this could become reality. This article claims to be able to identify the specific synapse that is involved in forming a memory. If we know where it is formed, then what hinders someone from "erasing" the specific synapses that holds a memory. This goes right along with the thought of keep this knowledge out of the wrong hands, as my fellow colleges have mention. After watching the movie series Divergent and seeing how the intellectual faction could entirely control the militant faction to completely annihilate a group of people by controlling them with a serum, this makes me wonder if someone could manipulate me to do something just by changing sound frequencies. SCARY.
On the flip side, I immediately thought of an area, in addition to the health field, where this would study would be readily accepted, and that is in the realm of athletics. Many athletes train, warm-up, and perform to some type of music. Whether it is crazy music at football games or an elegant arrangement piece for figure skaters, music and sports now go hand in hand. Knowing what we now know about the relationship between sound frequencies and memories, which can include muscle memory, it would be beneficial for the athlete to know what frequencies strengthen the connection between the cortex and the stratum, which can lead to better skill and muscle memory.
I look forward to seeing how this knowledge impacts up in the future.
I am truly grateful of individuals such as Dr. Zador and his team who take their time and interests to understand how we, as humans, function. They were able to identify the location where memorization of newly learned information is processed. As a person who is intrigued about how the brain works, the information presented on this article caught my attention. I have heard that it is beneficial to play, speak, touch, and read to babies because it allows for the connection of neural synapses that are basic for development. It seems that the ability to hear and act upon what is heard seems to work in a similar manner with striatum synapses. Additional to that, the study conducted on the rats agreed with the idea that repetition allows for precision of practiced acts.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everybody above, in the sense that this article is very interesting, and it has some awesome potential medical applications. However, it does beg an important question: how is mainstream media going to ruin science this time? (Because what presidential hopeful hasn't taken advantage of our brains' subconscious red/blue, winner/loser association despite the fact that every Intro to Psych college kid has heard of the study by now?)
ReplyDeleteTo elaborate, imagine all the catchy tunes that we hear every day. (I'm still reeling from the 'Cheerleader' song by Omi). Even commercial jingles get stuck in our heads no matter how hard we try to think outside the bun. Now, imagine that the people who create these tunes had actual information on what makes something catchy on a physiological level. We'll be lucky if we ever sleep again! Could a song be made that took advantage of our neuropathways such that no one could resist it?
Maybe life in plastic isn't so fantastic.
First of all, my friends know I love me some good annoying songs: Rebecca Black- Friday, Crazy Frog, Weird Al, loops that go on for hours, but that.... its not even the original! It's practically kids bop! If I fail my organic chemistry test tomorrow you can be sure that song is the reason why! I don't know what kind of chemical goodie my brain thinks its getting for making connections with that song stronger, but I must assure you it shall be punished.
ReplyDeleteOn a more serious note, integrating general zoology, would it be appropriate to go as far as to say perhaps our brains and those of animals make connections with sound all the time in the same manner. For instance, when a mother bear can distinguish the playful and frightened barks of her cubs. The brain must make a connection for each sound and assigned it certain meaning, much like we do with a persons tone of voice and how it makes us feel.
Also, I found it interesting that specific tones made the rats want to go in certain directions... No wonder I can't help but move-n-groove when my favorite jam comes on! :)
First off, I forgot how catchy but yet annoying that song is. Major props to the kids participating in the music video. I don't know if I would have the guts to do it even at a younger age.
ReplyDeleteSecond, this article was very well-written and has so much potential for future projects and clinical trials. I am constantly astonished with the discoveries science makes every day especially with regards to the brain and nervous system. One interesting aspect that is both exciting and a little concerning is the fact that we are able to map the memories in the brain. As the article mentions, the researchers were able to figure out the precise synapses where memories and learning comes from. I would also be interested to see a follow-up with a more detailed report on how the different frequency tones caused the synapses to fire in certain situations.
I think it would be interesting to see how this discovery can be used in possibly forensic science or in the field of psychology. I know that various psychologists have said that a person's personality or actions done can be attributed to previous experiences or memories. This could possibly explain why some criminals carry out various acts especially if the striatum is responsible for the coordination of translation of thoughts into actions. My concern is how this be manipulated the wrong way. For example, one could use this discovery and experiment for the wrong reasons such as using it to "erase" memories or damage the synaptic neuron in the striatum.
How interesting, yet not necessarily surprising, that the brain processes sensations and forms memories which in return invoke a certain behavior. People are affected by this every day with the most minute actions and responses. It's funny to think that just as a mouse can be trained to go a certain way in response to a frequency, couldn't people be as well? In fact that is the case. I am not sure to what extent this can be correlated with reflexes, but people hear sounds and react a certain way. Central synaptic plasticity can be studied further in order to develop strategies for certain auditory challenges, such as learning a language. It would be popular to many people, new approaches to learning as it involves the cortex and striatum.
ReplyDeleteThe brain is extremely fascinating, and to think there is still so much that researchers do not know is mind blowing. The brain uses 20% of the body’s energy and takes up 3% of the body’s weight, weighing approximately 3 pounds. There is a myth that people only use 10 percent of their brain when in actuality they use 100% of their brains. Neurologists only understand ten percent of how it functions. While scientists have been able to find out how structures such as the striatum works, they have not been able to discover how groups of neurons from opposite parts of the brain come together to form consciousness. Only 10 percent of the brain is composed of neurons and 90 percent is glial cells. Since most of the brain is made up of supporting cells, the majority of the brain’s function is unknown.1
ReplyDeleteIt is very interesting that Dr.Zador’s lab study had to do with auditory learning. Usually during freshman year and often sophomore year of college professors put a heavy emphasize on students discovering what their learning style is. So students take a test and discover if they are auditory, kinesthetic or visual learners. However, students are never asked physiological questions about these learning styles. With that being said it is interesting to see that Dr.Zador did not just look at hearing but instead he examined hearing in collaboration with learning.2
Overall the article was extremely enjoyable and the results were fascinating, just reinforcing the collaboration amongst senses and serving as a reminder that the brain just like a muscle needs to be trained.
Works Cited
1.Boyd R. Do People Only Use 10 Percent of Their Brains. Scientific American. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-people-only-use-10-percent-of-their-brains/. Accessed Nov 4, 2015.
2. Scientists Map Memorable Tunes in the Rat Brain.Nih.gov.http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/scientists-map-memorable-tunes-rat-brain?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter. Accessed Nov 2, 2015.
I found this information to be interesting but I was slightly confused as to how this relates to how music can get stuck in your head. I do however see how the experiment was able to show that there is a sort of music memory so to speak that was coupled with an action. Either way it is very likely that I am overthinking the situation and missing how this relates to the catchy songs that plague our ears from time to time.
ReplyDeleteAwww this is kinda cute! But in a creepy way. Actually, it is more kreepy than cute so I digress. I feel like this is can relate to all of us. To this day I still know all of the states because of a song I learned in the third grade. And music has been able to help me when it comes to my studies. For me, I have a certain genre I listen to for each subject. For example, I MUST listen to classical music when I am doing my calculus homework. This makes me curious as to how we can use this to program certain memories and if this could be used for therapeutic purposes. If we could do so, maybe it will help victims deal with trauma in a new light.
ReplyDeleteThis article immediately reminded me of the movie Inside Out. The film is based on an adolescent girl and how her memories shape her into the young girl she is. Well certain characters are in charge of memories and there is one bubble gum commercial song that they always send to "headquarters" as a joke. It is the same as a song getting stuck in someone's head. So hearing the gummy bear song gave me a little bit of a laugh until it got stuck in my head as well.
ReplyDeleteHowever as this relates to rats is very interesting. I find it amazing that they were able to locate the parts of the brain that were stimulated by certain frequencies whether they were low or high. It is incredible that they are able to train the neurons and axons to strengthen the signals that were being focused on. I think that even though this was tested on rats, it gives scientist great insight on how memories can be formed and how they are eventually lost with the onset of Huntington Diseas or Alzheimer's or other memory loss diseases. The brain holds an enornous amount of information. I mean we only use a limited part of it anyways imagine if we used 80%, having all those things to remember and still losing them. So the technology that is being developed that can tell us why we lose our memory the way we do or how memories are made and kept is extraordinary.
I am a music lover. I listen to music all the time. Actually, I am currently listening to music as a write this comment. I play drums, guitar, and piano, so music has always been a part of my life. I cannot count the times that I have had a song stuck in my head. No matter what I try to do, it will not get out of my head. It is also amazing how I can remember songs that I have not listened to since I was very young. It is funny how I can remember every single lyric from a song I have not listened to in fifteen years, yet I cannot remember what I just read in one of my classes! Teachers in elementary school take advantage of this song memory by making up songs for different subjects. And they worked because I can still remember them. The brain can do amazing things, and it is fantastic that scientists are starting to be able to map memories in mice. This can change and improve the way we learn. It can also be used to treat such diseases as Alzheimer's and Huntington's. This research can benefit so many people, and I am so excited to see it develop.
ReplyDeleteI love listening to a wide variety of music. From country, to rap, to alternative, to indie, I am interested and enjoy different sounds. I am currently listening to Carrie Underwood and I will most likely have her song stuck in my head the rest of the day. It is very interesting that different songs get stuck in my head at different times. There are times where I can not get a country song out of my head while other times I can't stop singing one line of an alternative song. I believe this has to do with not only our memories, but our emotions while listening to the different types of music. If we have a great or terrible experience linked to a song, it will allow our brains to remember it more distinctly. I think this is why remembering information using songs is a great trick to memorizing school work. It's amazing how the brain works!
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