Humans have long suspected that music is a kind of medicine. Plato and Aristotle believed song could purify the soul and promote mental health, and the ancient Egyptians treated their sick with chanting rituals. Today, neuroscience is starting to reveal the mechanisms by which music triggers healing in the brain; already it has been shown to help a range of issues from chronic pain, autism and depression to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Studies are also demonstrating how we might all use sound to diminish anxiety, soothe and uplift the mind — and that it could perhaps even lead to personal transformation.
长期以来，人类一直相信音乐可能有治疗的功效。柏拉图和亚里士多德认为歌曲可以净化灵魂，促进心理健康，古埃及人用吟唱仪式来治疗病人。今天，神经科学开始揭示音乐触发大脑愈合的机制；音乐已经被证明可以帮助缓解一系列问题，包括慢性疼痛、自闭症、抑郁症、阿尔茨海默病和帕金森病。研究还表明，我们可以利用声音来减少焦虑、抚慰提升心灵，甚至可能导致改变自己。