Brain Syncs Blinks to Music’s Beat,Revealing New Insights into Neural Connections
New research published November 19,2025,in PLOS Biology demonstrates that human blinks unconsciously synchronize with musical rhythms,offering a novel window into how the brain integrates auditory and motor functions. The study, led by Yi Du of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, reveals a previously unknown connection between listening to music and the oculomotor system – the neural network controlling eye movements.
Researchers found that participants’ spontaneous blinks naturally aligned with the tempo of music, even without being prompted to move. This synchronization appears linked to subtle microstructural changes within the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), a key nerve pathway responsible for transmitting sensory and motor signals. “We found that people’s spontaneous blinks move in time with the music - even without a request to move,” Du stated.
However, the study also showed that focused attention disrupts this automatic synchronization. When participants concentrated on a visual task – identifying a red dot on a screen – their blink rate decoupled from the music’s beat,regardless of whether the dot appeared in time with the rhythm. This suggests the brain prioritizes conscious focus, temporarily overriding the unconscious auditory-motor link.
The findings have implications for understanding essential brain processes and perhaps improving therapies for neurological conditions. auditory-motor synchronization is already used in treating movement impairments, and a deeper understanding of the underlying neural pathways could enhance treatment efficacy. Moreover, the easily measurable nature of blinking could offer a simple, non-invasive tool for diagnosing rhythm-related disorders. “Since blinks can be easily measured, this behavior offers a simple, implicit insight into how we process rhythms and could one day support the clinical diagnosis of rhythm disorders,” Du explained (PLOS Biology, 2025; doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3003456).
