The ability to resist the urge to play music, buy guitars and so on, requires the proper functioning of neuronal circuits involved in top-down control to oppose the conditioned responses that predict reward from playing the music and the desire to play the music. Imaging studies show that addicted musical subjects might have impairments in dopaminergic pathways that regulate neuronal systems associated with reward sensitivity, conditioning and control. It is known that the neuropeptides that regulate energy balance (homeostatic processes) through the hypothalamus also modulate the activity of dopamine cells and their projections into regions involved in the rewarding processes underlying playing music. It is postulated that this could also be a mechanism by which overplaying and the resultant resistance to homoeostatic signals impairs the function of circuits involved in reward sensitivity, conditioning and cognitive control.

I am sure you have seen these poor fellows at blues jams.

Due to the fact several threads posted lately seem to be completely beyond human understand I thought I would jump right in and continue and add to these esoteric postings.




Recovering music junkie,

Billy

Last edited by Planobilly; 04/09/21 04:43 PM.

“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig?
“Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”