Are You Musical or Tone Deaf? Genes May Be Key

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2014/03/12/are-you-musical-or-tone-deaf-genes-may-be-key

WEDNESDAY, March 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Inheriting certain inner-ear genes may make for top-notch musical chops.

A study by Finnish scientists suggests that the genes that influence the structure of auditory pathways -- the structures that form the inner ear -- may play a significant role in musical ability.

"It's very interesting that they identified genetic regions that may be associated with brain mechanisms involved in the abilities to perceive, appreciate and perhaps even perform music," said Robert Bilder, director of the Tennenbaum Center for the Biology of Creativity, at the University of California, Los Angeles.

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Bilder, who was not involved in the study, said other factors are involved in extraordinary creativity, including a high musical aptitude.

"In this study, they've really focused on auditory perception, and I think the ability to appreciate tone and rhythm and musical patterns is critically important. But there are so many other factors involved in exceptional levels of ability and achievement -- a range of personality factors and other cognitive factors that are almost certainly critical," Bilder said.

He says they're called "Big C" factors, such as personality characteristics like openness to new experiences. "People who have higher levels of creative achievement tend to have lower levels of agreeableness. They tend to be people who don't just accept the status quo," he said. Persistence, the desire to work and work until they get it right, is another quality of highly creative personalities.

Another expert pointed out other influences on musical ability.

"There are a lot of environmental factors that may come into play, too," said Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein, president and CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, in New York City, such as being exposed to music as a child, or playing an instrument from an early age.

Borenstein said other genes are involved, too.

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