PublicationMusical Neurodynamics
Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2025
Harding E, Kim JC, Demos A, Roman I, Tichko P, Palmer C, Large EW
This landmark Perspective article introduces Neural Resonance Theory (NRT) — a unified framework explaining how the brain's naturally occurring rhythms resonate with the elements of music through neural resonance. The paper surveys decades of research across pitch, harmony, melody, tonality, rhythm, metre, groove, and affect, demonstrating that brain-body dynamics physically embody musical structure rather than processing it through abstract predictive models. The theory has direct implications for music-based neurotherapeutic interventions targeting neurodegenerative diseases.
