It would be a blatant lie if someone were to say they don’t enjoy music. Everyone enjoys music, no matter their neurological status—whether it be neurotypical or neurodivergent—everyone loves the rich melodies and fabulous instrumentals of music, but for neurodivergent people, it affects their brains in different ways than for a neurotypical person.
It is first important to acknowledge that two main types of music will be analyzed: Lyrical and non-lyrical music, and their effects on the neurotypical brain and neurodivergent brain.
Lyrical music is what people would describe as music that incorporates both instruments and bass, as well as lyrics. Instrumental music is what people would describe as classical music, involving solely instruments such as pianos, violins, and more, typically without bass involved.
According to a study done by the National Library of Medicine, it was found that neurotypical people found silence the least distracting, instrumental music neutral, and lyrical music the most distracting. However, this didn’t seem to apply when they were made to do arithmetic. The surmise of that experiment was that at least for neurotypical people, music was distracting in an academic setting. This could mean doing tasks like reading, writing, etc.
The effects of music on the neurodivergent brain are arguably the complete opposite of those on neurotypical people. For neurodivergent people (those who experience ADHD, autism, dyslexia, etc.) music can be regulated, as in music can engage emotion, memory, and movement. This leads to wide-brain activation, which can support learning and regulation. Music also helps neurodivergent people with emotional maintenance. Music can increase dopamine and serotonin, which, especially for ADHD brains, can be extremely helpful since ADHD brains are naturally low on dopamine. This can improve focus (especially for ADHD), reduce stress, and improve mood. It can also aid social functioning (especially for autism), memory, and sensory comfort, especially when a neurodivergent person listens to a “comfort” song or a familiar melody. This is generally the same for lyrical music and instrumental music. In fact, with neurodivergent people, silence is what’s most distracting/difficult to work with.
The reason that music affects neurodivergent and neurotypical people differently is that a neurodivergent person’s brain (and while this can change based on the type of neurodivergence) needs more stimulation than a regular brain, especially in conditions like ADHD, to start tasks due to executive dysfunction, and music gives the right boost to do just that. For other conditions like autism, music might be what’s needed before social functioning, and that provides enough stimulus for the autistic brain. Music serves as a stimulus and a regulator for many neurodivergent people.
The effects of music on the neurodivergent and neurotypical brain are opposites, but it’s safe to say that everyone can enjoy music—whether it’s during studying or afterwards—and whether it’s instrumental music or lyrical, music will always be relevant to everyone in some way, shape, or form.
