Differences in brain functional connectivity between autonomous sensory meridian response and classical music.
Frontiers in Neuroscience January 1, 2026 Misuzu Oishi, Kei Sasaki, Noriko Sakurai et al.
Listening to ASMR triggers, compared with classical music, increases functional connectivity between specific brain regions involved in self-referential thought and sensory integration. In 48 healthy adults, ASMR triggers strengthened connections between the medial prefrontal cortex and the right lateral parietal cortex, between the left anterior insula and left supramarginal gyrus, and between the right rostral prefrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex. Classical music alone produced no significant connectivity changes. The findings suggest ASMR triggers engage brain networks for internal evaluation and sensory processing more strongly than classical music does.