Music is medicine, you have very probably experienced it, you feel better after listening to your favorite musical number… although we are not sure how it exactly works, a new study is bringing new lights on this phenomenon:
‘Listening to classical music enhanced the activity of genes involved in dopamine secretion and transport, synaptic neurotransmission, learning and memory, and down-regulated the genes mediating neurodegeneration.’
Hard to follow or to swallow? I will try to explain, listening to music involves complex cognitive function in the brain, and we now know it involves neuronal and physiological changes. This new Finnish study investigated the gene expression profiles of subjects when they were listening to classical music. Participants were experienced (with a musical training) and inexperienced listeners and they listened to Mozart’s violin concert Nr 3, G-major, K.216 during 20 minutes.
The activation of genes is a very complex phenomenon, we know that gene expressivity is influenced by the environment or other genes, but we are still trying to comprehend all these complicated processes. This new study shows that music enhanced the activity of some genes involved in dopamine secretion and transport, meaning that listeners were producing more dopamine, the molecule that is involved in so many complex brain functions, but to dumb it down, the molecule that brings you happiness, love, lust, motivation, attention, but also addiction, as it is the target of all drugs.
Genes involved in synaptic function (communication between neurons), learning and memory were also activated. In particular, a gene called SNCA was activated and this gene looked very interesting: first it is involved in Parkinson’s disease (Parkinson is a lack of dopamine and SNCA codes for a protein which plays a role in regulating the release of dopamine), secondly this gene is also involved in song learning in songbirds. This made Dr. Irma Järvelä, the leader of the study, declared:
‘The up-regulation of several genes that are known to be responsible for song learning and singing in songbirds suggest a shared evolutionary background of sound perception between vocalizing birds and humans.’ And this sounds quite exciting for me! So music may protect you against Parkinson’s disease and may help you learn music?
Furthermore, other genes associated with neurodegeneration were down-regulated, which could mean that music help protect your brain against ageing and degeneration. But there is a twist, this part seems to work only for people who have had periods of music education or training.
‘The effect was only detectable in musically experienced participants, suggesting the importance of familiarity and experience in mediating music-induced effects,’ explained researchers.
Other studies have shown that the brains of musicians and non-musicians differ structurally and functionally, and this especially true for these string players, a lot of studies have demonstrated changes in the brain due to music, but they were mostly concerned with overall changes, whereas this new study goes to a molecular level. Plus it may show a protective role of music at the neuron level, and this is such good news for musicians! Music and listening to music seem to be the most important activities you can do right now! Now they only tested classical music, and we have to discover if this is the case for any genre of music…
Alyson, I completely agree with this study and especially the findings on classical music. Every so often I need to pull away from current music and listen to classical. Sometimes I will also try meditation music but it doesn’t have the same effect. Classical music calms my mind, almost cleanses it and restores it with new ideas. Thanks for the post.