Skip to main content

New Method Reveals How Rhythm Reshapes the Brain in Real Time

5 min read
1,030 words
Share:

A groundbreaking international study has unveiled a novel way our brains reconfigure themselves while listening to rhythmic sounds, challenging long-held beliefs about brainwave activity and offering profound implications for music cognition, mental health, and brain diagnostics. The research, published this week in Advanced Science and led by teams at Aarhus University and the University of Oxford, introduces a method that captures the intricate dance of brainwaves as they respond to rhythm moment by moment—a discovery that could help redefine how scientists understand perception and consciousness (Neuroscience News).

Traditionally, brainwaves have been thought of as operating in fixed frequencies—such as alpha, beta, and gamma waves—mapped to specific brain regions. However, the new method, called FREQ-NESS (Frequency-resolved Network Estimation via Source Separation), paints a far more dynamic picture. Instead of seeing the brain as a collection of static stations, researchers using FREQ-NESS observed that our brains constantly reorganize their network of frequencies in real-time, with rhythms influencing the flow and migration of these waves across different regions as we listen to music or any steady sound.

For Thai readers, this marks a significant development, not only for those studying neuroscience but for educators, musicians, and mental health professionals who have long noted the unique power of rhythm in Thai culture, from the pulsating beats of the ranad and khim in traditional ensembles to the collective focus of monks chanting or the healing rituals in rural communities. The study’s revelations may help demystify why such auditory traditions have such a powerful effect on both mind and mood.

The team led by a senior scientist from the Center for Music in the Brain at Aarhus University, in collaboration with partners at the University of Oxford, developed FREQ-NESS as a tool to disentangle overlapping brain networks by examining their predominant frequencies. By applying this to magnetoencephalography (MEG) data—essentially capturing magnetic fields produced by the brain’s electrical activity during both rest and rhythmic sound exposure—the scientists could watch how auditory experiences cause real-time shifts in the brain. According to one of the lead authors, “We’re used to thinking of brainwaves like fixed stations… but what we see with FREQ-NESS is much richer. Brain activity is organized through activity in different frequencies, tuned both internally and to the environment.”

Instead of simply registering sound, the brain performs a dynamic reshaping: existing networks reorganize, new frequency-attuned networks emerge to process incoming rhythms, and crucially, some networks remain stable regardless of external auditory input. During auditory stimulation, the study observed the emergence of networks attuned precisely to the rhythm, with some standard networks (like alpha-band) spatially shifting their focus—sometimes from the visual processing occipital area to regions controlling movement. Even more intriguingly, listening to rhythm enhances “cross-frequency coupling”, meaning different brainwave types start to interact, such as auditory networks influencing memory-related regions in the medial temporal lobe.

While this might sound abstract, the implications are far-reaching. FREQ-NESS stands apart from traditional approaches because it lets researchers map the brain’s internal organisation as a living, breathing network, rather than as predefined bands in fixed spots. As one leading co-author noted, “The brain doesn’t just react: it reconfigures. And now we can see it.” This opens up new possibilities for understanding how individuals respond to music—not just as entertainment or culture, but as a force that actively shapes the brain’s network in ways that might aid therapy, learning, or even recovery from injury.

For Thailand, where music, rhythm, and collective ceremony underpin much of social and spiritual life, these findings may one day help explain and harness the restorative power of national traditions for clinical benefit. Already, music therapy is gaining traction in Thai healthcare settings as an adjunct for stroke recovery and mental well-being, but without a clear, science-based understanding of the mechanisms at play. Now, with FREQ-NESS, clinicians and educators may soon be able to tailor interventions more precisely, targeting networks shown to reconfigure most dynamically in response to rhythm, potentially leading to individualized brain mapping and treatment.

The approach has applications well beyond music cognition. It could revolutionize the operation of brain-computer interfaces, improve diagnostic tools for neurological disorders, and foster basic research into conditions where brain network dynamics go awry, such as epilepsy or Alzheimer’s disease. The study’s authors suggest that FREQ-NESS will catalyze a new wave of research into everything from attention and perception to altered states of consciousness and the phenomenon of “mind-wandering” so tied to meditation and traditional Thai monastic culture.

From a historical and cultural perspective, Thailand’s musical and ritual landscape has always acknowledged the special place of rhythm and entrainment—think of the role of drumming in mor lam, or synchronized chanting in Buddhist temples. Now, thanks to cutting-edge international research, we stand at the threshold of explaining scientifically what communities have intuitively known for generations: that rhythm not only touches the mind but actively shapes it, potentially moment by moment.

Looking ahead, a large-scale international research initiative is underway to further develop and apply FREQ-NESS, ensuring robust replication across groups and experimental settings. For Thai neuroscientists and graduate students, this offers a unique opportunity to participate in a global network investigating the dynamic brain. Recipients of research scholarships from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation might look for training posts or collaborations with the Center for Music in the Brain or similar institutions, bringing those advanced skills back for use in Thai hospitals, labs, and universities.

In practical terms, Thai educators, health professionals, and families can benefit from the take-home lesson: rhythmic stimulation—be it through music, group activities, or ritual—may not only engage the mind but reconfigure and potentially strengthen the neural pathways that underpin learning, memory, and mood. Integrating rhythm into daily routines, classrooms, or therapeutic settings isn’t just culturally valuable; it’s increasingly shown to be biologically impactful.

Ultimately, the research reveals that listening to rhythm is much more than a passive act. The brain’s ability to reshape itself in real time may be a key to unlocking new strategies for education, healthcare, and cultural life in Thailand’s rapidly changing society.

For further details and full access to the research abstract, readers are encouraged to consult the original publication in Advanced Science and additional coverage on Neuroscience News.

Related Articles

5 min read

Thai Researchers Note Musical Power to Reshape Memories, Raising Fresh Possibilities for Therapy and Education

news psychology

Neuroscience is uncovering surprising powers of music, with new research showing that music can actively reshape memory and infuse it with new emotions—potentially opening novel doors in therapeutic, educational, and cultural settings. A recent neuroimaging study published in the journal Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience reveals that listening to music while recalling memories does more than simply bring back old feelings—it can actually rewrite neutral memories with the emotional color of the background music.

#MusicAndMemory #Neuroscience #ThaiCulture +8 more
4 min read

Music Reshapes the Brain in Real Time, Pioneering Study Finds

news neuroscience

Listening to music does more than soothe the soul—it actively transforms the way our brain functions on the spot, according to groundbreaking new research from European neuroscientists. The study, released on June 17, 2025, and recently highlighted by Futura Sciences, unveils how musical experiences instantly rewire neural networks, opening new opportunities in education, therapy, and cognitive science across the globe—including Thailand.

Scientists from Aarhus University in Denmark and Oxford University in the UK have developed FREQ-NESS, a cutting-edge neuroimaging technology that allows researchers to track and visualize the brain’s responses to external stimuli, such as music, in unprecedented real time. Unlike traditional techniques that assign fixed brain wave patterns (like alpha or beta) to specific regions, FREQ-NESS follows how neural circuits interconnect and adapt dynamically as we listen to music. Each musical note or rhythm generates unique electrical signals in the brain, activating and synchronizing various regions moment-to-moment.

#MusicTherapy #BrainResearch #Neuroimaging +5 more
4 min read

New Theory Reveals How Music Tunes the Brain's Rhythms, Impacting Health and Culture

news neuroscience

A groundbreaking theory in neuroscience is changing our understanding of what happens in our brains when we listen to music, potentially opening new pathways for therapies, education, and technology in Thailand and worldwide. This emerging insight, known as Neural Resonance Theory (NRT), demonstrates that our brain’s natural oscillations—the very rhythms of our neurological function—sync up with the beats, pitches, and grooves of the music we hear, helping to explain music’s universal appeal and therapeutic power (ScienceAlert).

#Neuroscience #MusicTherapy #BrainHealth +7 more

Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult with qualified healthcare professionals before making decisions about your health.