This neuroscience of music page is the product of my independent research project as a sophomore in high school.

A Brief History of Neuroscience + Recent Developments in the Field

Signficance

Understanding the history of a scientific field is crucial for tracking the field’s development and progress through a certain number of decades or centuries. Although the study of the human brain and the nervous system is a relatively recent field, both the aspiring and professional scientists need to learn and understand the history of neuroscience in order to track growth and make future plans for success.

The Origins of Neuroscience

The Brain During Prehistoric Times

The brain has been the subject of fascination since prehistoric times; much of the earliest recorded work scientists have today is in the form of prehistoric brain surgery, which was conducted through a process called trepanation around 7000 years ago. This surgery consisted of drilling holes into a human brain, with a focus of healing instead of violence. Those who performed trepanation were intrigued by the brain and thought it possible that it could be responsible for the human functions. However, the majority believed the human heart to be central to the body and controlled emotions, thoughts, and cognitive aspects of the person. It was not until the beginning of revolutionary philosophic and intellectualist thought in Ancient Greece, from 400–300 B.C.E, that Hippocrates (460–369 B.C.E) and his beliefs about human nature and the brain converged and gained popularity among scholars.

Hippocrates

Hippocrates, widely regarded as the father of Western medicine, claimed that the brain was responsible for sensation as well as the seat for intelligence and cognitive abilities. In contrast, Aristotle (384–322 B.C.E) remained a well-known idea that the heart was the center for intellect and sensation. Aristotle believed that the brain was responsible for cooling the blood that traveled to the heart and had no other functions except to help transfer blood to the heart organ. In regards to the study of neuroscience, Aristotle’s belief was generally accepted among scientists for over a thousand years in Western thought. The Greek philosopher’s belief would not be shifted until the writing and research of Galen (130–200 A.D) which argued during the Roman Empire for Hippocratic views of brain function (Bear, Connors, and Paradiso, 2007, pp. 4–6).

Galen

Galen, a Greek philosopher, physician, and surgeon during the Roman Empire advocated for the Hippocratic views of brain function and found evidence for these beliefs through his analysis of the dissections he performed on animals. The brain of a sheep, which in form is not entirely different from that of a human’s brain, consists of several parts; Galen focused primarily on the cerebrum and cerebellum for his studies. He deduced that the cerebrum, which is located in the front of the brain, was the recipient of sensations and the cerebellum, which is located in the back of the brain, must command the muscles. His theories were relatively accurate in comparison with the knowledge brain scientists have now, but his process was incorrect. This however introduced a new wave of scientific thought for how the brain was responsible for human functions, instead of the heart. Galen’s ideas would be widely accepted for the next 1500 years (Bear, Connors, and Paradiso, 2007).

Descartes and Dualism

René Descartes (1596–1650) was a French mathematician and philosopher who was a chief advocate of the fluid-mechanical theory which was posited by a series of French inventors in the seventeenth century. This theory began when these inventors began developing hydraulically controlled mechanical devices. These devices supported the notion that the brain could be machinelike in its function: Fluid forced out of ventricles through the nerves might literally “pump you up” and cause the movement of the limbs (Bear, Connors, and Paradiso, 2007). Descartes also believed in Dualism, which is the idea that the mind and body are separate entities that interact, but exist for different purposes to serve the human condition. In this analogy, the mind is responsible for the emotions, cognitive abilities, and the sensations experienced by the individual. Furthermore, the brain is responsible for movement and regulating bodily functions. The idea is that the spiritual, mysterious nature of the mind interacted with the machinery of the brain through the pineal gland to resemble the human experience. Some still believe today that the mind and body are separate, but modern neuroscience argues that the complexities and abilities of the brain are responsible for every aspect of the human life.

The Neuroscience Revolution

The field of neuroscience is rapidly expanding and becoming increasingly popular; more students are obtaining PhD degrees for neuroscience and related areas than there are jobs. Several decades ago, the field had little precedence among the other medical degrees. In the world of the twenty-first century, scientists are referring to this spike in interest as the neuroscience revolution. This increase is the result of several recent revelations having to do with the brain and can be attributed to the wide range of discovery that is possible within the field of neuroscience. For example, the practice of neuroimaging and the research that comes from this work in addition to “new psychopharmaceuticals are promising to redefine how we conceive of disease, treatment, and professional privilege.” These promising aspects of the neuroscience field could make leaps in discovery within the next several years and the influence will be unmistakable. There are already inventions that allow the blind to see using different parts of the brain and senses, as well as technology that allow the deaf to hear. Furthermore, “drugs are being developed that can enhance memory, confidence, and other aspects of normal functioning and will likely be freely available.” Imagine a world where there were safer and more effective cures for neurological disorders, or an aspect of human behavior could be improved. This promising new technology is what is drawing many young professionals and aspiring scientists to the rapidly growing field of research. If scientists can better understand our brain and how it functions in relation to our bodies, and by extension, how we interact with other people and within society, then scientists will have the power to positively shift the life experience.