As one could surmise, the body's reaction to drugs is remotely similar to its response to music. For one study conducted by Psyche Loui, the effects of music on the brain can trigger what she has coined as "frisson," which is comparable to an orgasm.
For Loui the idea for this experiment took form when she remembered listening to Rachmaninoff, specifically his Piano Concerto No. 2 in college. An accomplished pianist herself, she claims that you don't need to be a professional to enjoy the dynamic of Rachmaninoff.
In fact, you don't need to be a professional to enjoy any kind of music.
To describe such a phenomenon, Loui labeled the euphoria as a "skin orgasm," obviously equating it to a sexual experience. She reviewed her evidence and theories with her pupil Luke Harrison.
As BBC reports, the duo point out that the sensations can be extraordinarily varied beyond normal, bodily tremors. While the Loui and Harrison conducted their experiment — which included asking subjects to listen to their favorite tracks while lying in an MRI scanner — they found out what triggered these feelings.
The article continues: "For instance, violated expectations seem to startle (albeit gently) the automatic nervous system ... What's more, the anticipation, violation, and resolution of our expectations triggers the release of dopamine in two key regions — the caudate and the nucleus accumbens, shortly before and just after the frisson."
Loui also adds, "You see a similar response when people take drugs or have sex, which may explain why we find shiver-inducing songs so addictive."
The experiment certainly isn't the first of its kind but it opens up a new doorway into how the brain and body processes musical stimuli. And it works even better if it's music that you have a personal affinity for listening to.
You can find detailed findings within the full article for more on the subject. In the meantime, see how Rachmaninoff (among others from their playlist) affects your responses by watching and listening to the video below.
