MORE: Your Mind on Music When you read something—whether it’s Bukowski or Photoshop for Dummies, a certain area of your brain associated with reading is activated. A small fMRI study at the University of Exeter recently found that emotionally charged writing, such as evocative passages from novels and poems, caused activity in additional regions known to respond to music. It’s these same areas that send shivers down your spine when a song really moves you.