HIGH FIDELITY

Very interesting article in the July 23 issue of New Yorker by famed neurologist Oliver Sacks (I would link to article here, but the New Yorker is not offering it up online for some reason). Sacks discusses the accounts of several of his patients who had the neural pathways of their brains abruptly changed, from various causes, after which these people a permanent, and nearly all-consuming affinity for music.

In one case, a man who was struck by lightning — after experiencing a near-death, out of body experience — gained an irrepressible desire to listen to, play, and even compose classical piano music. This was with no previous strong affinity for music. His passion after the strike became so emotionally intense that he forced himself to learn the piano. Over a decade later, this passion remained undiminished and he had become a very talented amateur pianist. There have been no other lasting effects from the lightning strike, and he continues to be highly competent in his profession (medicine).

Two interesting takeaways from this: 1) some people’s brains are more wired for music than other people’s. This may seem obvious in the case where someone is a musical prodigy from an early age — like a Mozart. But it also seems that some people are wired to respond to music more emotionally than other people. 2) this basic structure of the brain can be altered in a person through strong external stimulus (electric or chemical, it seems). Which does not mean we should advocate musical shock therapy for people who are musically clueless, although that 12th play of Ace of Base may make us want to.

I look forward to Oliver Sacks’ forthcoming book on the subject, Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain