Brain Evolution And Music: Playing Activates Genes In Humans And Songbirds

Music perception is well preserved in human evolution but the specific biological determinants of music practice are largely unknown. A study of professional musicians found enhanced activity of genes involved in dopaminergic neurotransmission, motor behavior, learning and memory when they practiced.  Several of those up-regulated genes are also known to be responsible for song production in songbirds and that suggests a potential evolutionary conservation in sound perception and production across species, according to the authors.


Music perception is well preserved in human evolution but the specific biological determinants of music practice are largely unknown.

A study of professional musicians found enhanced activity of genes involved in dopaminergic neurotransmission, motor behavior, learning and memory when they practiced.  Several of those up-regulated genes are also known to be responsible for song production in songbirds and that suggests a potential evolutionary conservation in sound perception and production across species, according to the authors.

It is well known that music performance induces structural and functional changes to the human brain and enhance cognition but the molecular mechanisms underlying music performance are speculation. A Finnish research group has now investigated the effect of music performance (in a 2 hour concert) on the gene expression profiles of professional musicians from Tapiola Sinfonietta (a professional orchestra) and Sibelius-Academy (a music university).  

Playing music enhanced the activity of genes involved in dopaminergic neurotransmission, motor function, learning and memory. Some of the up-regulated genes like SNCA, FOS and DUSP1 are known to contribute to song perception and production in songbirds suggesting a potential evolutionary conservation in molecular mechanisms related to sound production across species.

In addition, several of the up-regulated genes are known to be involved in biological pathways like calcium ion homeostasis and iron ion homeostasis that are essential for neuronal function, survival and neuroprotection.

"The findings provide a valuable background for molecular studies of music perception and evolution, and music therapy," notes Dr. Irma Järvelä, the leader of the study.

Citation: Chakravarthi Kanduri, Tuire Kuusi, Minna Ahvenainen1, Anju K. Philips, Harri Lähdesmäki,&Irma Järvelä. The effect of music performance on the transcriptome of professional musicians. Scientific reports, Vol 5, pages 9506, 2015. Top image: Shutterstock

Old NID
154373
Categories

Latest reads

Article teaser image
Donald Trump does not have the power to rescind either constitutional amendments or federal laws by mere executive order, no matter how strongly he might wish otherwise. No president of the United…
Article teaser image
The Biden administration recently issued a new report showing causal links between alcohol and cancer, and it's about time. The link has been long-known, but alcohol carcinogenic properties have been…
Article teaser image
In British Iron Age society, land was inherited through the female line and husbands moved to live with the wife’s community. Strong women like Margaret Thatcher resulted.That was inferred due to DNA…