Research from the Institute of Psychology Reveals the Dynamic Brain Network Mechanisms by Which Music Promotes Acute Stress Recovery

A research group led by Dr. Du Yi at the Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, published a study in PNAS revealing the dynamic brain network mechanisms through which music promotes recovery from acute stress. Two experiments involving 120 participants tracked emotional states, autonomic nervous system activity, hormonal levels, and brain activity. Music showed advantages during the recovery phase: faster restoration of positive emotions, heart rate, and skin conductance. Music enhanced connectivity between the auditory cortex and insula, altered insula-thalamus connections, and stronger right insula-thalamus connectivity was associated with improved emotional recovery. Musical tension emerged as a key factor linking the temporal structure of music to stress recovery.