Cannabis study finds THC can create false memories

 But do all the benefits of marijuana post stroke outweigh this? And your incompetent? doctor has no knowledge and really no say in this discussion!

My 13 reasons for marijuana use post-st13rroke.  

Don't follow me, I'm not medically trained, and I don't have a Dr. in front of my name. 

The latest here: 

Cannabis study finds THC can create false memories

>Smoking cannabis may do more than make memories fuzzy. It may actually alter how memories form and are recalled.A new study from Washington State University found that people who consumed THC were more likely to recall words that were never shown to them and had more trouble completing everyday memory tasks, such as remembering to do something later.Published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, the research provides one of the most detailed examinations to date of how cannabis influences memory. The results indicate that cannabis affects not only simple recall, like remembering a list of words, but also several forms of memory that people rely on throughout the day. These include remembering appointments, keeping track of conversations, and identifying where information originally came from. Researchers were also surprised to see no meaningful differences between participants who consumed 20 milligrams of THC and those who consumed 40 milligrams. This finding suggests that even moderate amounts of THC may significantly interfere with memory. Study Examines Multiple Memory Systems "Most previous studies have only looked at one or two types of memory, like recalling lists of words," said Carrie Cuttler, senior author of the study and an associate professor of psychology at WSU. "This is the first study to comprehensively examine many different memory systems at once, and what we found is that acute cannabis intoxication appears to broadly disrupt most of them." To investigate these effects, Cuttler and co-author Ryan McLaughlin, an associate professor in the Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience at WSU, recruited 120 regular cannabis users. Participants were randomly assigned to vaporize placebo cannabis, 20 milligrams of THC, or 40 milligrams of THC in a double-blind experiment. After consuming the assigned substance, participants completed roughly an hour of memory tests. The assessments measured several types of memory, including verbal, visuospatial, prospective, source, false, episodic content, and temporal order memory.People who consumed cannabis performed significantly worse than those who received the placebo on most of the tests. In total, cannabis affected the majority of the memory measures, with significant differences appearing in 15 of the 21 tests.Cannabis Linked to False Memories and Source ConfusionThe most pronounced effects were seen in false memory and source memory, which help people accurately recall information and determine where that information came from.In one test, participants listened to lists of related words that were connected by a theme, but the central keyword tying them together was never spoken. Later, individuals who had consumed cannabis were more likely to say they remembered hearing words that had not been presented. "I found it was really common for people to come up with words that were never on the list," Cuttler said. "Sometimes they were related to the theme of the list, and sometimes they were completely unrelated."

Participants who used cannabis also had more difficulty identifying where previously learned information originated. Problems with source memory can make it harder to determine whether information came from a trusted source, a conversation, or something encountered online.

These kinds of memory distortions could have serious implications in situations where accurate recall is essential. For example, errors in memory or suggestive questioning during eyewitness interviews can influence how events are remembered.

Impacts on Everyday Memory Tasks

The researchers also observed impairments in prospective memory, which is the ability to remember to perform tasks in the future. This type of memory is involved in everyday responsibilities such as taking medication, attending meetings, or stopping at the store on the way home.

"These are things we rely on constantly in our day-to-day lives," Cuttler said. "If you have something you need to remember to do later, you probably don't want to be high at the time you need to remember to do it."

One form of memory called episodic content memory, which involves recalling personal experiences, did not show a significant effect in this study. Cuttler noted that additional research is needed before drawing firm conclusions about that type of memory.

Cannabis Use Is Growing but Research Gaps Remain

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The study comes at a time when cannabis use is becoming increasingly common in states such as Washington. Even though legalization has expanded across North America, many short term cognitive effects of cannabis remain unclear.

One reason for the limited research is that cannabis is still classified as a Schedule I substance under federal law, which has historically restricted scientific study.

"We're living in a state where cannabis use is very common, but there's still a lot we don't know about its acute effects," Cuttler said. "The goal is to help people make informed decisions about the risks and benefits."

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Story Source:

Materials provided by Washington State University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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Journal Reference:

1. Carrie Cuttler, Ryan J. McLaughlin. Mapping the acute effects of cannabis on multiple memory domains: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2026; DOI: 10.1177/02698811261416079

 I'm sure your doctor won't approve but ASK FOR EXACT SPECIFICS ON WHY NOT!

High meat consumption linked to lower dementia risk in genetic risk group

High meat consumption linked to lower dementia risk in genetic risk group

Photo: Getty Images

Older people with a genetic risk of Alzheimer's disease did not experience the expected increase in cognitive decline and dementia risk if they consumed relatively large amounts of meat. This is shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in JAMA Network Open. The results may contribute to the development of more individually tailored dietary advice.

APOE is a gene that affects the risk of Alzheimer's disease. In Sweden, approximately 30 per cent of the population are carriers of the gene combinations APOE 3/4 or APOE 4/4. Among people with Alzheimer's disease, those with these genotypes account for nearly 70 per cent.

When the Swedish Food Agency presented an overview of research on the link between diet and dementia last year, more research was requested to assess a possible link between meat consumption and the development of dementia.

Jakob Norgren. Foto: Ulf Sirborn

‘This study tested the hypothesis that people with APOE 3/4 and 4/4 would have a reduced risk of cognitive decline and dementia with higher meat intake, based on the fact that APOE4 is the evolutionarily oldest variant of the APOE gene and may have arisen during a period when our evolutionary ancestors ate a more animal-based diet,’ says first author Jakob Norgren, researcher at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet.

The study followed more than 2,100 participants in the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care, Kungsholmen (SNAC-K) for up to 15 years. All were aged 60 or older and had no diagnosis of dementia at the start of the study. The association between self-reported diet and cognitive health measures was analysed, adjusting for age, sex, education and lifestyle factors.

Twice the risk of dementia

At lower meat intake, the group with APOE 3/4 and 4/4 had more than twice the risk of dementia than people without these gene variants. However, the increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia in the risk groups was not seen in the fifth of participants who consumed the most meat. Their median consumption is estimated at approximately 870 grams of meat per week, standardised to a daily energy intake of 2,000 calories.

‘Those who ate more meat overall had significantly slower cognitive decline and a lower risk of dementia, but only if they had the APOE 3/4 or 4/4 gene variants,’ says Jakob Norgren. He continues: 

‘There is a lack of dietary research into brain health, and our findings suggest that conventional dietary advice may be unfavourable to a genetically defined subgroup of the population. For those who are aware that they belong to this genetic risk group, the findings offer hope; the risk may be modifiable through lifestyle changes. ‘

Sara Garcia Ptacek. Foto: Privat

The study also shows that the type of meat is important.

‘A lower proportion of processed meat in total meat consumption was associated with a lower risk of dementia regardless of APOE genotype,’ says Sara Garcia-Ptacek, assistant professor at the same department, who together with senior lecturer Erika J Laukka is the study's last author.

The findings also extend beyond brain health. In a follow-up analysis, the researchers observed a significant reduction in all-cause-mortality in carriers of APOE 3/4 and 4/4 with higher consumption of unprocessed meat.

However, the study is observational and needs to be followed up with intervention studies that can better demonstrate causal relationships.

‘Clinical trials are now needed to develop dietary recommendations tailored to APOE genotype,’ says Jakob Norgren. He continues:

‘Since the prevalence of APOE4 is about twice as high in the Nordic countries as in the Mediterranean countries, we are particularly well suited to conduct research on tailored dietary recommendations for this risk group.’

The research was funded by, among others, the Swedish Alzheimer's Foundation, the Swedish Dementia Foundation, the Emil and Wera Cornell Foundation, the Leif Lundblad family and other philanthropists, the Swedish Research Council and FORTE. The researchers state that they have no related conflicts of interest.

Publication

”Meat Consumption and Cognitive Health by APOE Genotype”, Jakob Norgren, Adrián Carballo-Casla, Giulia Grande, Anne Börjesson-Hanson, Hong Xu, Maria Eriksdotter, Erika J Laukka, Sara Garcia-Ptacek, JAMA Network Open, online March 19, 2026, doi:10.1001/ jamanetworkopen.2026.6489

Facts:

Apolipoprotein E plays a central role in the transport of cholesterol and fats in the brain and blood. The protein is encoded by the APOE gene, which exists in three main variants: epsilon 2, 3 and 4. These variants affect the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular disease. Each person inherits two APOE genes, one from each parent, giving six possible combinations (genotypes): 2/2, 2/3, 2/4, 3/3, 3/4 and 4/4.

Compared to the most common genotype 3/3, one 4 variant increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease by about three to four times and two 4 variants by about ten to fifteen times, while the 2 variant is associated with a lower risk. However, the increase in risk varies between different ethnic groups.

Source: Belloy et al., JAMA Neurology, 2023

New website to assist with life after stroke - Australia

 Full acknowledgement that they are complete fucking failures at 100% recovery! You'll want to change their focus to solving stroke to 100% recovery. When they become the 1 in 4 per WHO that has a stroke they'll wish they had done this work while they could have. Ask elizabeth.lynch@flinders.edu.au. when EXACTLY she will solve stroke to 100% recovery. Don't allow her any excuse that brain research is hard! Recovering from a stroke is hard with NO protocols for recovery!

New website to assist with life after stroke

As the number of Australians living with stroke increases, a new digital health tool has been created to help stroke survivors build confidence and manage their health – and participants are now invited to help refine and evaluate the website.

Developed by Flinders University’s Caring Futures Institute, EmpowerMe has been delivered after a two-year project involving input from stroke survivors, carers, clinicians, digital designers and researchers.

“Stroke impacts more than 100 million people worldwide, with a stroke occurring in Australia every 11 minutes,” says project lead Associate Professor Elizabeth Lynch, a rehabilitation researcher at Flinders’ College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

“As our population ages and survival rates improve, more people are living with stroke than ever before, so it’s vital we create tools to assist in the rehabilitation journey.”

Through providing tailored, accessible and relatable content for people navigating life after stroke, the website is designed to enhance self-efficacy – bolstering belief in a person’s ability to achieve goals.

The website features more than 150 short video stories from 26 stroke survivors and 10 carers who shares real-life experiences and strategies for managing challenges such as fatigue, emotional changes, mobility and communication difficulties.

“Self-efficacy is a critical factor in long-term stroke recovery, as when it is teamed with health it directly relates to an individual’s ability to manage their own health effectively,” says Associate Professor Lynch.

“Despite its importance, there are few resources that directly support self-efficacy.

“EmpowerMe was built from the ground up with input from people who have lived through stroke and their voices have shaped every aspect of the website.”

Multiple stages of the project sought input from survivors and carers, from the content and layout to the name itself.

“As a survivor of stroke, I’m involved because I wish an asset like this had existed 17 years ago,” says steering group member and stroke survivor Adrian O’Malley.

“I’m involved because this helps build the capacity of survivors of stroke to navigate complex systems and best optimise their outcomes.”

Annette McGrath, carer of a stroke survivor, says, “When the person who has had the stroke returns home, you start to wonder, what on Earth do we do now?

“You can’t ever be fully prepared for the unknown. Issues arise that are unexpected, and this project is providing the carer and the stroke survivor with the ability to manage, and the confidence that they have the tools to manage, situations as they arise.”

The project’s co-design approach has been central to its success, with a Lived Experience working group of 14 stroke survivors and one carer meeting regularly with the research team to guide the development process.

Their insights led to 10 key content areas, including self-advocacy, involvement in healthcare decisions and managing cognitive and emotional changes.

Following initial user testing, the website was designed to be inclusive of users with communication difficulties, such as aphasia, including aphasia-friendly consent forms, flexible session lengths and support from speech pathologists.

“Initial usability results have been promising, with the website achieving a usability score well above the industry benchmark, indicating strong user satisfaction,” says Associate Professor Lynch.

“However, we’re always eager to continue refining the platform and are now seeking additional participants to take part in the next phase of testing, to see if the website improves self-efficacy.

“We want to ensure EmpowerMe works for everyone, especially those who are often excluded from digital health research. By participating in testing, stroke survivors and carers can directly influence how this tool evolves.”

• Stroke survivors interested in participating in testing the website can contact elizabeth.lynch@flinders.edu.au.

RNA Recycling Extends Lifespan

 How will your competent? doctor and hospital use this to recover your 5 lost years of brain cognition due to your stroke? Oh, your doctor doesn't consider that part of the job! Why hasn't that doctor been fired yet? Will your doctor and hospital ensure human testing occurs?

RNA Recycling Extends Lifespan

Summary: Researchers discovered a biological “trash disposal” mechanism that directly controls how fast we age. While circular RNA has long been known to accumulate in cells as we get older, this study proves for the first time that this buildup isn’t just a side effect of aging—it actually causes it. By identifying the enzyme RNASEK, which degrades this aging-linked RNA, scientists have found a way to potentially reset the cellular clock.

Key Facts

• The “Toxic” Buildup: Circular RNA is uniquely stable, meaning it doesn’t break down easily. As we age, it piles up inside cells, eventually clumping into harmful “stress granules” that impair cellular function.
• The Discovery of RNASEK: The team identified RNASEK as the specific enzyme responsible for degrading circular RNA. As organisms age, levels of this enzyme naturally drop, leading to RNA “traffic jams.”
• Lifespan Extension: In experiments with C. elegans (roundworms), artificially increasing RNASEK levels (overexpression) significantly extended healthy lifespan.
• The Chaperone Connection: RNASEK doesn’t work alone; it partners with a protein called HSP90 to prevent these RNA clumps from becoming toxic.
• Cross-Species Evidence: This mechanism was confirmed in both human cells and mouse models. When RNASEK was deficient in human cells, it led to signs of premature aging.
• Therapeutic Potential: Controlling RNASEK to clear out circular RNA could become a primary strategy for treating degenerative diseases and slowing human aging.

Source: KAIST

Cells in our bodies produce RNA based on genetic information stored in DNA, and RNA serves as a blueprint for making proteins. Researchers at our university have discovered a new phenomenon: removing ‘circular RNA’ that accumulates in cells as we age can slow down aging and extend lifespan. This study provides crucial clues for uncovering the principles of aging and developing treatment strategies for related diseases.

Professor Seung-Jae V. Lee’s research team (RNA-Mediated Healthspan and Longevity Research Center) from the Department of Biological Sciences, in collaboration with research teams led by Professors Yoon Ki Kim and Gwangrog Lee, announced on the 18th that they discovered the RNASEK protein—an enzyme that degrades circular RNA—plays a vital role in slowing aging and extending lifespan.

Until now, circular RNA has been regarded mainly as an aging marker because of its stability, which allows it to accumulate over time. However, the molecular mechanism for removing this RNA and its direct link to aging had not been clearly identified. The research team conducted this study to determine how the accumulation of circular RNA affects aging and whether an intracellular management system exists to regulate it.

Using Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a short-lived roundworm widely used in aging research, the team first confirmed that the circular RNA-degrading enzyme RNASEK is essential for longevity. They also discovered that as aging progresses, the amount of RNASEK decreases, resulting in an abnormal accumulation of circular RNA within cells.

Conversely, artificially increasing the levels of RNASEK (overexpression) extended the lifespan and allowed the organisms to survive longer in a healthy state. This implies that the process of appropriately removing cellular circular RNA is critical for maintaining health and longevity.

The research team also found that RNASEK prevents the toxic aggregation of circular RNAs in aged organisms. . When RNASEK is deficient and circular RNA accumulates, “stress granules”  form abnormally inside the cell, which can impair cellular functions and accelerate aging.

RNASEK works alongside the chaperone protein HSP90 (which helps proteins avoid misfolding or clumping) to inhibit the formation of these stress granules and help cells maintain a normal state. Notably, this phenomenon was observed not only in C. elegans but also in human cells. In mammals, RNASEK also functions to directly degrade circular RNA; a deficiency of RNASEK in human cells and mouse models led to premature aging.

The researchers explained that this study is significant as it identifies a mechanism for regulating aging at the RNA level. They suggested that research using RNASEK to control circular RNA could lead to the development of treatment strategies for human aging and degenerative diseases.

Professor Seung-Jae V. Lee of KAIST, who led the study, explained, “Until now, circular RNA was merely regarded as a marker of aging that accumulates over time due to its stability. This study proves that circular RNA accumulated during aging actually induces aging, and that RNASEK, which removes it, is a key regulator that slows aging and induces healthy longevity.”

Drs. Sieun S. Kim, Seokjin Ham, Sung Ho Boo, and Donghun Lee from the KAIST Department of Biological Sciences participated as joint first authors.

The research results were published on February 24 in the world-renowned scientific journal Molecular Cell.

Funding: This research was conducted with support from the Leader Researcher Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea.

Key Questions Answered:

Q: If circular RNA is a “marker” of aging, why is it bad to have it?

A: Think of circular RNA like clutter in a house. A little bit is fine, but because it’s so stable, it never “goes out with the trash.” Over decades, this clutter turns into massive piles (stress granules) that block the hallways of the cell, stopping vital proteins and signals from getting where they need to go. This “cellular hoarding” eventually leads to cell death and aging.

Q: Can I just take a supplement to increase my RNASEK?

A: Not yet. While the study found that increasing RNASEK extends life in lab models, we are still in the early stages of translating this to humans. However, this discovery gives pharmaceutical researchers a specific target. Instead of just treating the symptoms of aging, we might one day have treatments that “re-activate” the RNASEK disposal system to keep cells clean.

Q: Why did they use roundworms for this research?

A: C. elegans are the “gold standard” for aging research because they live for only about 2–3 weeks, but share many of the same genetic pathways as humans. This allows scientists to see the entire aging process—and the effects of life-extending interventions—in a matter of days rather than years.

Editorial Notes:

• This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
• Journal paper reviewed in full.
• Additional context added by our staff.

About this genetics and longevity research news

Author: JEEHYUN LEE
Source: KAIST
Contact: JEEHYUN LEE – KAIST
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Open access.
“Ribonuclease κ promotes longevity by preventing age-associated accumulation of circular RNA in stress granules” by Sieun S. Kim, Seokjin Ham, Sung Ho Boo, Donghun Lee, Hyemin Min, Eunseok Kang, Rosa Haque, Hanseul Lee, Yoonji Jung, Sujeong Kwon, Sangsoon Park, Hae-Eun H. Park, Eun Ji E. Kim, Wooseon Hwang, Eunah Kim, Gee-Yoon Lee, Kun-Young Park, Jae Myoung Suh, Gwangrog Lee, Yoon Ki Kim, and Seung-Jae V. Lee. Molecular Cell
DOI:10.1016/j.molcel.2026.01.031

Beverly Hospital Earns Primary Stroke Center Recognition

 The very first line tells you this is failure! Commitment to high-quality 'care'; NOT RECOVERY! In my opinion that is a failed hospital; not doing what survivors want; 100% RECOVERY! Don't go there until they become successful at that! 'Care' is pushing the tyranny of low expectations on survivors. The only goal in stroke is 100% recovery GET THERE!

Beverly Hospital Earns Primary Stroke Center Recognition

BEVERLY, MA — Beverly Hospital has earned certification as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission, a designation that recognizes the hospital’s commitment to high-quality care(NOT RECOVERY!) for patients experiencing stroke.

The certification cites Beverly Hospital's efforts to meet national standards for safety and quality in caring for the specialized needs of stroke patients.

The program was developed in collaboration with the American Stroke Association and is based on stroke care(NOT RECOVERY!) through key performance and quality measures, standardized care(NOT RECOVERY!) practices, adherence to clinical guidelines, and comprehensive training and education.

Beverly Hospital underwent an onsite review as part of the certification process. The review evaluated the hospital’s practices and its compliance with certification standards.

"Achieving Primary Stroke Center certification is a testament to the dedication, expertise and collaborative spirit of our colleagues," said Tom Sands, Market President North Shore and President of Beverly, Addison Gilbert, BayRidge and Anna Jaques Hospitals. "I am incredibly proud of the commitment by our multidisciplinary team to deliver life-saving treatment to patients with urgency, precision and compassion, allowing us to drive positive outcomes for the communities we serve."

Find out what's happening in Beverlyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

The Joint Commission said the certification recognizes healthcare organizations that are working toward excellence while improving patient safety and quality of care(NOT RECOVERY!). The designation also reflects efforts to reduce variation in clinical processes and strengthen clinical programs.

"The Primary Stroke Center certification recognizes healthcare organizations committed to striving for excellence and fostering continuous improvement in patient safety and quality of care(NOT RECOVERY!)," said Ken Grubbs, , executive vice president of Accreditation and Certification Operations and chief nursing officer for The Joint Commission. "We commend Beverly Hospital for using The Joint Commission certification process to reduce variation in clinical processes and to strengthen its clinical program to drive safer, higher quality and more compassionate care(NOT RECOVERY!) for individuals served."

Do Hasslers (Difficult People) Speed Aging and Shorten Lifespan?

 

My story: I would still be leading a life of quiet desperation if still married.

Why my stroke was the best thing to ever happen to me

Well, at age 50 I had my stroke and the result of that is making me happy for the rest of my life.  Got divorced at age 58, fired at age 56. All leading to moving to Michigan and finding lots of new friendships.

(Life is definitely better as I age, I got divorced enhancing my happiness immeasurably. I'm retired and comfortably well off. And healthy as I can be post stroke. I'm going to live a long time yet.)

Do Hasslers (Difficult People) Speed Aging and Shorten Lifespan?

Most of us know someone who makes life difficult. Scientists call these people hasslers (difficult people). Perhaps it’s a coworker who criticizes everything and everybody. Or an aggressive sibling who derails family gatherings by dredging up old grievances. Sometimes even a friend leaves you feeling worn out instead of refreshed. Such interactions may do more than spoil your day. New research published in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS, Feb. 24, 2026) suggests these “hasslers” may actually influence how fast your body ages.

Transforming stroke care with a mobile stroke unit

Why would you want to do slow CT scans when much faster methods are available?

 The answers are already out there, AND YOU'RE SO FUCKING INCOMPETENT YOU DON'T KNOW THAT!

These people must not have any working brains at all!

Like maybe these fast diagnosis options?

Hats off to Helmet of Hope - stroke diagnosis in 30 seconds; February 2017 

Smart Brain-Wave Cap Recognises Stroke Before the Patient Reaches the Hospital

 October 2023

And then this to rule out a bleeder.

New Device Quickly Assesses Brain Bleeding in Head Injuries - 5-10 minutes April 2017 

Transforming stroke care with a mobile stroke unit

The quality of stroke care is dependent on decreasing the time from symptom onset to diagnosis and treatment. That is why many providers are turning to Mobile Stroke Units (MSUs) to improve outcomes for their patients. 

MSUs are specialized ambulances equipped with a team of stroke care professionals and advanced technologies like CT imaging, telemedicine, and a point-of-care lab. The 2026 American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Guideline for the Early Management of Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke now includes recommendations related to the implementation of MSUs.¹

Read on to learn more about the benefits of the MSU care pathway.

For MSU-treated patients, studies have shown:

Lower 90-day mortality rates and better functional outcomes compared to conventional care2

Quicker time to treatment with tPA administered 36 minutes faster than traditional hospital transport3

More than half (53%) of patients made a complete recovery after three months, while only 43% of patients treated by standard ambulance made a full recovery4

Biological Link Between Music and Bonding Identified

 More reasons for your fuckingly incompetent doctor to have music protocols! But I bet your doctor will fail once more, just like the failures of the last decade. 

There are NO LEADERS IN STROKE!

 

• music (94 posts back to March 2011)

• music therapy (85 posts back to October 2014)

• musical training (13 posts back to June 2014)

• singing (12 posts to July 2013)

• music playing (2 posts to April 2023)

Do you prefer your doctor, hospital and board of director's incompetence NOT KNOWING? OR NOT DOING? Your choice; let them be incompetent or demand action!

Biological Link Between Music and Bonding Identified

Summary: Music has long been the centerpiece of human rituals, from tribal dances to modern concerts. Now, a unique study has identified the biological “why.” The study reveals that listening to harmonically consonant chord progressions during face-to-face interaction physically strengthens the brain circuits responsible for social connection and emotional processing.

Key Facts & Findings

• The “Consonant” Effect: The researchers used pleasant, predictable chord progressions common in Jazz and Pop. These “consonant” sounds acted as a physiological primer, making participants feel more connected to the person sitting across from them.
• The Brain’s Social Hub: Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) showed increased blood flow in brain regions associated with social perception and emotional processing when harmonious music was playing.
• A Scientific Mirror: For the first time, researchers showed a direct correlation between a person’s subjective feeling of being “in sync” with someone else and the objective activity in their social brain regions.
• The “Scrambled” Control: When the music was removed or the notes were “scrambled” into dissonant, unpredictable patterns, the social enhancement disappeared.
• Imaging in Action: Unlike traditional MRI, which requires lying still in a tube, fNIRS allowed the pairs to sit face-to-face and maintain eye contact, capturing the brain in its natural social state.

Source: Yale

When neuroscientist and musician AZA Allsop discovered research by his Yale colleague Joy Hirsch about how group drumming and musical interaction can affect social behavior, he knew there was a collaboration in their future.

Five years later, their joint work has shown that music is a powerful social enhancer that directly impacts brain functioning.

“When I reached out to see if we could work together on a project focused on music, Joy was as excited as I was,” said Allsop, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine who is also a jazz artist. “As we drafted our new research, I really relied on my background in music production, theory, and performance to help shape things.”

Hirsch, also a neuroscientist, brought her own musical experience to the partnership. A veteran competitive ballroom dancer, she has won many accolades including national championship titles.

“AZA and I connected immediately, because of our shared love of music, our experience with music in one form or another, and our commitment to understanding how the brain operates under music conditions,” said Hirsch, the Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor of Psychiatry and professor of comparative medicine and of neuroscience.

In a new study, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, they find that listening to harmonically consonant chord progressions during face-to-face interaction strengthened neural activity in brain areas that help people understand and respond to others.

The findings suggest that music may help promote social bonding on a biological level, they say, explaining why it often plays an important role in social rituals and group experiences.

The results could also have implications for therapies that use music to support people experiencing issues of social disconnectedness, such as neuropsychiatric conditions like autism or psychological conditions like social anxiety.

“We’re hoping that our contribution will provide an evidence-based mechanism that shows how music actually enhances the neural systems that promote sociality,” said Hirsch, the study’s senior author.

For the study, the researchers were quite deliberate in selecting the chord progression they’d examine.

“Part of our hypothesis was that certain chord progressions have a higher prevalence in the music of our culture because they’re doing something to our physiology,” said Allsop, the study’s first author. “So, we used a progression that’s found very commonly in jazz music, pop music, a lot of Western musical language.”

In a series of experiments, they measured brain activity in pairs of people during face-to-face interactions. Specifically, they used an imaging technique known as functional near-infrared spectroscopy, which tracks task-induced changes in blood flow in the brain.

“Unlike MRI, this technique lets us capture brain images of people who are engaged in social activities,” Hirsch said.

The participants, who sat across a table from each other, were asked to interact with their partner by staring directly, eye to eye, into their faces. In some trials, they listened to what are known as consonant chord progressions, a sequence of pleasant, predictable musical chords that promote feelings of relaxation. In other trials, there was either no music or music without the predictable chord progressions, i.e. the notes were “scrambled.”

When the harmonious chord progressions were played, researchers noted increased activity in regions of the brain associated with social perception, emotional processing, and interpersonal connection. Participants also reported feeling a more heightened sense of social connectedness.

Researchers say this suggests that music may help coordinate and strengthen human social relationships.

“One of the paper’s most important and unexpected findings was showing that one’s perception of connectedness to another person is directly related to the activity in these specific regions of the brain,” Hirsch said.

For Allsop, a keyboardist and vocalist, the connections between music and neuroscience feel natural. “I’ve always been interested in how the different structures and languages within music can move people from an aesthetic standpoint,” he said. “At Yale, I’ve started asking that question from the biological perspective, too.”

Dash Watts, a research assistant in psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine, was the study’s co-first author. Other Yale authors include Adam Noah and Xian Zhang, associate research scientists in psychiatry, and Simone Compton, a former post graduate associate in psychiatry.

Key Questions Answered:

Q: Why does “predictable” music make us feel closer to people?

A: Predictable, harmonious chords promote a state of physiological relaxation. When your brain isn’t busy trying to resolve “scrambled” or jarring noises, it has more “bandwidth” to focus on the social cues of the person in front of you. The music essentially acts as a social lubricant at a cellular level.

Q: Can this be used as a medical treatment?

A: That is the ultimate goal. The researchers believe this provides an evidence-based mechanism for Music Therapy. It could be used to help individuals with autism or social anxiety navigate face-to-face interactions by using harmonic backgrounds to “prime” the brain’s social centers.

Q: Does it matter what kind of music it is?

A: The study focused on Western musical language (Jazz and Pop progressions) because of its prevalence in our culture. The key seems to be consonance—sounds that the brain perceives as “pleasant” rather than chaotic.

Editorial Notes:

• This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
• Journal paper reviewed in full.
• Additional context added by our staff.

About this music and social neuroscience research news

Author: Bess Connolly
Source: Yale
Contact: Bess Connolly – Yale
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Closed access.
“Listening to a consonant chord progression during live face-to-face gaze enhances neural activity in social systems” by Dash A. Watts, AZA Stephen Allsop, Simone Compton, Xian Zhang, J. Adam Noah and Joy Hirsch. Journal of Neuroscience
DOI:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1116-25.2026