Have you ever had a song
in your head that kept you singing (or thinking) the lyrics (or melody)
repeatedly? If you answered yes, you’re not alone. It could be harmless, OR it could be the result
of malfunctioning brain networks that normally allow us to perceive music. The
brain is amazing when it functions perfectly and is even more so when it
doesn’t.
Fourteen years ago,
83-year-old Reginald King began having musical hallucinations following bypass
surgery. The array of pop tunes and
Christmas carols playing on his personal cerebral channel were both frightening
and frustrating and could neither be turned off nor tuned down. Eventually, he
was seen by Dr. Victor Aziz, one of two European researchers who had been studying
this phenomenon. Dr. Aziz and research partner Dr. Nick Warner found that
more than a third of their patients with musical hallucinations were deaf or
hard of hearing, women more often than men, and on average 78 years of age.
Dr. Aziz believes people
are more likely to hear songs (in their head) they’ve heard repeatedly. He
further speculates that musical hallucinations would become more common in the
future noting that, ‘”people today are awash in music from radios and
television.” Add to that the unwavering use
of iPods by people of all ages and there you have the makings of a musical
hallucination zoo (www.nytimes.com/2005/07/12/health/psychology/12musi.html?).
So what does this mean for
me (and you)? I frequently listen to my
favorite music on the radio or cd player (driving here and there), my computer
(at work and home), and my beloved iPod (my commuting companion). I wonder if
my ritual music habits will eventually lead me to Nirvana or to some other
musical paradise…perhaps Gagavana? There are two songs currently playing on my
daily hit parade. Click on the blue
links below to see what they are.
What might make it to your
hallucinatory playlist if your musical brain networks begin to
malfunction? Please comment below; I’d
really LOVE to know.
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