EEG-based functional connectivity uncovers frequency-specific brain network alterations induced by nostalgic music

This study aimed to clarify the neural mechanisms of nostalgic music by exploring differences in brain functional connectivity between nostalgic and non-nostalgic music using EEG-derived imaginary coherence (iCOH), which minimizes volume conduction artifacts. Thirty-six healthy right-handed participants (mean age: 22.5 ± 3.2 years, 17 males) completed a passive auditory paradigm, listening to 25 nostalgic music tracks (selected via alignment with participants' childhood/teenage years, interviews, and questionnaires) and 5 non-nostalgic tracks. EEG data were recorded with a 64-channel cap (10–10 system, 1000 Hz sampling rate), preprocessed (artifact removal via independent component analysis, 1–50 Hz band-pass filtering), and analyzed for power spectral density (PSD) and iCOH across δ (1–4 Hz), θ (4–8 Hz), α (8–13 Hz), β (13–30 Hz), and γ (30–50 Hz) bands. Behaviorally, nostalgic music elicited significantly higher nostalgia degree (7.61 ± 0.87 vs. 3.81 ± 1.22), pleasantness (7.18 ± 1.01 vs. 4.91 ± 0.88), and arousal (7.18 ± 0.90 vs. 4.96 ± 1.08, all p < 0.001) than non-nostalgic music. Neurally, nostalgic music increased δ-band PSD (frontal: Fp1/Fp2; central: Cz/C2; parieto-occipital: P4/O2) and θ-band PSD (frontal: FC1/FC2/Cz/C2, p < 0.01). For iCOH, nostalgic music showed widespread δ-band connectivity increases (frontal-temporal-parietal-occipital pairs), enhanced θ-band frontotemporal connectivity, and elevated α-band parieto-occipital connectivity (all p < 0.01), with no differences in β/γ bands. Conclusion: Nostalgic music modulates brain function via frequency-specific connectivity, supporting low-interference memory retrieval (δ), emotion-memory integration (θ), and visual memory processing (α), highlighting its potential for emotional regulation. • Nostalgic music elicited stronger nostalgia, pleasure, and arousal than controls. • EEG showed increased δ- and θ-band power in frontal, central, and parietal regions. • Nostalgic music enhanced δ-band global, θ frontotemporal, and α parieto-occipital connectivity. • Findings reveal frequency-specific neural mechanisms of nostalgia in music perception. • Results highlight nostalgic music's potential for emotional regulation interventions.