Can't you erase the happy "song of the summer" from your mind? Ninety-nine out of a hundred people are susceptible to the syndrome of the catchy song ( earmworm or "ear worm" in English) , which implies that when listening to certain melodies they resonate over and over again in the head in an uncontrolled way. According to James Kellaris, from the University of Cincinnati (USA), the effect is greater if the song is the first song you hear when you wake up, or the last thing you heard at night before going to sleep.
In both cases the tune remains "attached" to the auditory cortex of the brain , responsible for processing sounds. And the urge to hum those songs works as a kind of "mental itch," according to Kellaris, which is only relieved by repeating the tune over and over again. The effect can last for hours or days.
