Have you ever been taken away by a song, sending shivers up your spine as the music unfolds? If that’s the case, you might have a unique brain. For years, scientists and psychologists have been fascinated by this strange sensation, commonly known as ‘musical chills’.
According to recent research, persons who experience these shivers have a unique brain activity that distinguishes them from those who do not.
If you’re intrigued about what happens in your head when music moves you, keep reading—there’s much more to it than meets the ear.
What Are Goosebumps and Why Do We Get Them?
Goosebumps, also known as piloerection, are a condition in which small muscles at the base of each hair follicle contract, causing hairs on your skin to rise up.
This physical response is part of the body’s autonomic nerve system, which functions mainly outside of conscious control and is in charge of the fight-or-flight response to perceived dangers or excitement.
The process of developing goosebumps begins in the hypothalamus, a brain area that responds to emotional impulses. When provoked by emotions such as fear, amazement, inspiration, or even frigid temperatures, the hypothalamus sends a signal to the adrenal glands via the autonomic nervous system. These glands subsequently secrete adrenaline (epinephrine), a hormone that causes the arrector pili muscles in the skin to contract.
