Anatomically distinct dopamine release during anticipation and experience of peak emotion to music

Authors:  Valorie N. Salimpoor, Mitchel Benovoy, Kevin Larcher, Alain Dagher, and Robert J. Zatorre.
Publication:  Nature Neuroscience Link: http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nn.2726.html
PDF: http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/vaop/ncurrent/pdf/nn.2726.pdf

Occasionally a science article is so intriguing that it is widely covered in the popular press, as well as by scientific blogs.   This research on the neurochemical response to music which found “endogenous dopamine release in the striatum at peak emotional arousal during music listening”, has been reported on by many different authors. We list some of the more interesting articles below:

The Chemistry of Enjoying Music by Deric Bownds
Music and ‘chills’ – the brain’s reward system in action by Victoria Williamson
Music and the Brain: A Primer and Music and the Brain:  Dopamine by Luc Duval
Music and Dopamine and More on the McGill Study by Lyle Sanford
is music “as enjoyable as sex?” by Cognitive Dissident
Why music makes you happy by Emily Sohn