Music Therapy Today - World Federation of Music Therapy

Fachner, J. (2006) ‘Set and setting’ in an electrophysiological research paradigm on music perception under the influence of cannabis
and correlated brain function. Music Therapy Today (Online) Vol.VII (2) 333-374. available at http://musictherapyworld.net
variety of time perceptions and refers to the right time to do something,
to decide or act directly in the here and now. A talk can seem like hours,
even if it lasts only 20 minutes or it can be exciting and feels like only a
few minutes. There must be specific moments, situations and interests
that interfere with a personal kairological set of emotions, habits and atti-
tudes. We need specific settings and surroundings that make us experi-
encing an event as acceleration (‘rush’) or a slowing of time. Cannabis
influences this personal set of time frames.
Consequently, cannabis changes the intensity graduation of sensory data
(Fachner, 2002b). This appears plausible if we look at the distribution of
the cannabinoid receptors recently detected in the human brain (Joy et
al., 1999). In those regions of midbrain and cerebellum that mainly coor-
dinate feelings of intensity, and selective temporal and motor processes,
there is a proportionally higher agglomeration of cannabinoid receptors.
Another brain imaging study of time perception correlated cannabis-
induced changes of cerebral blood flow in the cerebellum (Mathew et al.,
1998). Cannabis consumption stimulates the activity of such receptors
temporarily, and the functional consequence is a changed graduation of
musical parameters. Obviously, these processes are far more complex
than described here, but a stimulation of cannabinoid receptors may
explain the changes discovered above.
RHYTHM If cannabis induces a subjective time expansion, music, and especially
the rhythm must be perceived as expandable. In experiments Aldrich
(1944) as well as Reed (1974) reported cannabis-induced changes on the
rhythm scale of the ‘Seashore test’. Despite the controverse discussions
about the Seashore’s usefulness, after cannabis intoxication rhythm was
perceived more distinctly and especially casual users had an obvious
improvement in the rhythm task (Reed, 1974). Most of Aldrich’s subjects
Results and discussion 355