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Is there any research done on the genetic variance for Music appreciation?

If not, why is there no genetic variance for this trait?

Glorfindel
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Devashish Das
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  • It is important to understand what genetic reason behind .. means. It usually makes much more sense to ask Is there some genetic variance underlying music appreciation?. You may want to have a look to this and/or this post. You may, then eventually want to edit your question. – Remi.b Jul 24 '14 at 08:43
  • @Remi.b: Sounds better! – Devashish Das Jul 24 '14 at 09:31
  • I wouldn't vote to close but I think your question deserves a little editing. Is there some genetic variance underlying music appreciation? Not gene variance. Is there any research done on the gene responsible for Music appreciation? This assumes there is only one gene. I'd suggest to stick to the formulation using genetic variance. I consider it is a detail but that might be important to you given that someone voted to close! What do you mean If not, is there any reason its impossible to predict? Does it mean If not, why is there no genetic variance for this trait?? – Remi.b Jul 24 '14 at 09:49
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    Yes, it looks much better to me! Well.. I personally have no idea! The only think I can say is that such studies in humans are likely to be biased due to the culture and assortative mating. – Remi.b Jul 24 '14 at 09:56
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    One can perhaps look at extremes: compare Beethoven (or any other musical genius) with lets say a great mathematician who has no appreciation for music. (That way you have normalized for basic intelligence). But these are just opinions. – WYSIWYG Jul 24 '14 at 11:09
  • Or otherwise if it is just about sound patterns (harmonics), their production and perception then the genomes of a songbird and a chicken can be compared. – WYSIWYG Jul 24 '14 at 11:11
  • @WYSIWYG: Mathematician and Music is actually kind of wrong as both need same region of brain might have some correlation: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0214/13022014-Mathematical-beauty-activates-same-brain-region-as-great-art-Zeki – Devashish Das Jul 24 '14 at 11:13
  • So wouldn't that just mean that music appreciation is correlated with general IQ ?? – WYSIWYG Jul 24 '14 at 11:17
  • @WYSIWYG: I don't think so. Still I found this http://www.psmag.com/navigation/books-and-culture/classical-music-linked-to-high-intelligence-27959/ – Devashish Das Jul 24 '14 at 11:19
  • See that is what I was saying. There are no conclusive studies and this question is tending to "primarily opinion based". Did you consider the option of comparing songbird and chicken? – WYSIWYG Jul 24 '14 at 11:27
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    Yeah, this is definitely on topic. – J. Musser Jul 25 '14 at 02:41

1 Answers1

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In 2013, Dr. Liisa Ukkola-Vuoti, University of Helsinki, Finland, done a detailed GWCNV(Genome-Wide Copy Number Variation) Analysis of certain group of people for musical creativity and aptitude.

Genome-Wide Copy Number Variation Analysis in Extended Families and Unrelated Individuals Characterized for Musical Aptitude and Creativity in Music

  • They did a Genome Wide Copy Number Variations (CNVs) in five extended pedigrees and in 172 unrelated subjects characterized for musical aptitude and creative functions in music

  • Muscial Aptitude is taken as Sum of Scores of Auditory structuring ability, Seashores test for pitch and for time. Along with data on creativity in music was surveyed using a web-based questionnaire.

  • Several CNVRs containing genes that affect neurodevelopment, learning and memory were detected.

  • A deletion at 5q31.1 covering the protocadherin-α gene cluster (Pcdha 1-9) was found co-segregating with low music test scores (COMB) in both sample sets. Pcdha is involved in neural migration, differentiation and synaptogenesis.

  • Creativity in music was found to co-segregate with a duplication covering glucose mutarotase gene (GALM) at 2p22. GALM has influence on serotonin release and membrane trafficking of the human serotonin transporter.

  • Genes related to serotonergic systems have been shown to associate not only with psychiatric disorders but also with creativity and music perception.

  • Both, Pcdha and GALM, are related to the serotonergic systems influencing cognitive and motor functions, important for music perception and practice.

  • A 1.3 Mb duplication was identified in a subject with low COMB scores in the region previously linked with absolute pitch (AP) at 8q24.

  • No differences in the CNV burden was detected among the high/low music test scores or creative/non-creative groups.

In summary, CNVs and genes found in this study are related to cognitive functions. Our result suggests new candidate genes for music perception related traits and supports the previous results from AP study.

Source:

[1] Genome-Wide Copy Number Variation Analysis in Extended Families and Unrelated Individuals Characterized for Musical Aptitude and Creativity in Music

[2] Musical Aptitude Is Associated with AVPR1A-Haplotypes

Devashish Das
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  • Interesting study, thank you! It is worth noting that probably these two traits (creativity and aptitude) may be highly correlated with IQ. – Remi.b Jul 24 '14 at 12:25
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    @Remi.b: Yes they are. Thanks for not closing this question. – Devashish Das Jul 24 '14 at 12:26
  • @Remi.b no those traits would correlate more strongly to expertise in a specific field rather than general intelligence. iq measures not genius which is what these genes could potentially spawn with others of course –  Aug 02 '14 at 04:22