Rhythm

Everything in the universe has a rhythm, everything dances. ~ Maya Angelou.

Ever have one of those days when nothing flows and you just can’t find your rhythm? I just did! But that started me thinking about what that means – what, exactly, is rhythm? Well, rhythm is the patterned, repeating sequence of events in time. Think of the beat in a song that leads to the steady tapping of your foot. Your pulse, and the cadence of your thoughts have a certain rhythm. A good run is basically rhythm in motion - every step and breath match in a smooth pattern that flows predictably. Neuroscience studies reveal that rhythm is embedded in our neural architecture, influencing everything from motor coordination to mood regulation.

The brain can perceive, predict, synchronize with, and produce rhythms e.g. in movement. Studies also suggest that a positive response to rhythm is deeply wired into the brain. For example, listening to music with a strong beat and engaging rhythm triggers the release of dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with signaling pleasure. Hence, goosebumps when you hear a beautiful symphony or favorite song.

Studies show that from the moment babies are born, they can respond to rhythm. Infants as young as a few months old can detect changes in the tempo of sounds, and show preferences for rhythmic patterns. Infants exhibit neural entrainment—their brainwaves synchronize with rhythmic sounds, especially speech and music. This sensitivity lays the groundwork for language acquisition, as spoken language itself is rhythmic. Many children can bounce, clap, or sway to music well before they can walk or speak in phrases. Interestingly, neural entrainment happens throughout life and enhances attention, memory and emotional regulation. It’s why rhythmic music can boost focus or calm anxiety.

Brain regions that contribute to rhythm processing include:

Auditory cortex: for timing and beat detection

Basal ganglia: for beat prediction and synchronization

Cerebellum: for fine-tuning timing

Supplementary motor area: for movement planning and internal rhythm generation

Prefrontal cortex: to manage attention and working-memory.

 Together, these regions form a widely distributed rhythm network throughout the brain that coordinates perception, prediction, and action. With music, this allows for things like nodding our heads to a tune, being able to pause before a beat drop, or to dance smoothly by anticipating the next beat. In conversation, this network lets people modulate their pitch,

volume, inflection and speaking behaviors to align more closely with others to create a connected social exchange.

"Human speech is like a cracked kettle on which we tap crude rhythms

for bears to dance to, while we long to make music that will melt

the stars." ~ Gustave Flaubert

It turns out that humans aren’t alone in their rhythmic abilities. Charles Darwin noted that rhythm is everywhere in the biological world, leading naturally, he thought, to the rise of music. Rhythm perception and production are used by various animals for basic functions, such as movement. Individuals within insect swarms and migrating herds match rhythm and synchronize motion with their neighbors. California sea lions have been trained to bob their heads together in time, while primates like chimpanzees or bonobos can spontaneously produce rhythmic beats and vocalizations but struggle with synchronization unless trained. The ability to track and synchronize to new or changing beats occurs in limited species capable of complex vocal learning and communication - birds, cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises), elephants and bats.

However, only humans conceive and produce complex musical rhythms. There are no animals composing symphonies! Why? Evolutionary biologists suggest that for humans, rhythmic communication developed first but served as a building block for language itself. Once language appeared, it sidelined earlier rhythmic communicative modalities like music and ‘song’. When no longer essential for communication, music was left for creative play and expression.

There are many ways we can benefit from the human capacity for rhythm. Music combined with rhythmic movements such as dance or running or even making music, e.g. by drumming, can provide stress reduction and relaxation, pleasure, improved focus and memory, improved coordination and balance, and social connection. So, step away from all the noise and find your rhythm.

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Post by: Nadia Fike

Read more : 1. Frischen, U, et al. The relation between rhythm processing and cognitive abilities during child development: The role of prediction. Frontiers in Psychology, 2022 ;13, Article 920513. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.920513 2. Kasdan, A., Burgess, A., et al. Identifying a brain network for musical rhythm: A functional neuroimaging meta-analysis and systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2022 May;136:104588. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104588. 3. Cameron, D. J., & Grahn, J. A. (2015). The neuroscience of rhythm. In S. Hallam, I. Cross, & M. Thaut (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Music Psychology (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/34489/chapter/292617769