New Brain Research Uncovers How Music Triggers Movement, Emotion, and Connection - Video

A new study published in The Journal of Neuroscience by researchers from Universite catholique de Louvain reveals why our brains sync more naturally to sound than touch when it comes to rhythm perception. The team found that when people listen to rhythmic beats, their brains produce slow, steady waves that align perfectly with the music’s pulse. However, when the same rhythm is experienced through touch-like vibrations on the fingertips, beat-like brain waves do not form.

The study involved 45 healthy adults who tapped along to rhythmic patterns delivered either through sound or tactile vibrations. Using electroencephalography (EEG) to monitor brain activity, researchers observed that sound induced low-frequency brain waves that mirrored the rhythm, resulting in more precise tapping. In contrast, touch caused brain activity to respond to individual vibrations without forming a cohesive beat pattern, leading to less steady tapping.

This research highlights the special link between hearing and rhythm perception, where the auditory system organizes rapid sensory events into slower, meaningful pulses called beats. Touch, however, processes vibrations as separate sensations, suited for detecting textures rather than grooves.

The findings offer exciting potential for therapies targeting neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease and stroke, where rhythm-based cues can support movement retraining. They also shed light on how rhythm training benefits language learning and attention in children, by coordinating timing between brain and body.

In essence, the study confirms that music moves us uniquely through sound, syncing our minds and bodies in ways touch simply cannot.

Reference: C.L. and S.N. designed research; C.L. performed research; C.L. and S.N. analyzed data; C.L. and S.N. wrote the first draft of the paper; C.L., T.L., R.P., and S.N. edited the paper; C.L., T.L., R.P., and S.N. ; Behavior-relevant periodized neural representation of acoustic but not tactile rhythm in humans; The Journal of Neuroscience; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0664-25.2025