E-Book of Articles - World Federation of Music Therapy

Abstract:
Fachner, Jörg: The Musical Time-Space, Cannabis And The Brain ...
The musical Time-Space, Cannabis and the Brain in an EEG-
Mapping Investigation
Jörg Fachner, University Witten/Herdecke
The use of psychedelics in psychotherapy setting with music, as well as
comparative research on drug-induced altered forms of perception have
been roots of music therapy, (e.g. GIM). Changed perception filter functions
have been used for psychotherapeutic issues but the uncontrolled use of
psychoactive substances in popcultural environments increased social and
personal problems. Valid estimations of drug-induced music perception are
of certain interest for music therapists working with addicts. The question
arises, "Is there a lasting imprint of state-dependent music experience and
habituation on the use of music?"
Since the beginnings of jazz the connection between cannabis consumption,
music production and creativity has been controversially discussed; but
research on this topic has been very rare. The recently discovered
endogenous cannabis receptor sheds a new light on memory, movement,
space and time perception processes and imagery and association patterns.
Presented here is an explorative study on Cannabis and Music Perception,
conducted in a qualitative and quantitative way in a habituated setting.
EEG-Brainmapping Data (rest; pre/post listening; 28 EEG traces; smoked
Cannabis, containing 20 mg ∆ 9 THC) were averaged and treated with a T-test
and a visual topographic schedule.
Compared to pre-THC-rest and pre-THC-Music in the post-THC-Music-EEG a
rise of Alpha percentage and power was observed in the parietal cortex on
four subjects, while other frequencies decreased in power. Decreased
amplitudes could represent a decreased cell-firing mode caused by
cannbinoidreceptor mechanism. Comparing pre/post music EEGs,
differences (p