from the the-hills-are-alive-with-dopaminergic-genes? dept.
Sounds, such as music and noise, are capable of reliably affecting individuals' moods and emotions, possibly by regulating brain dopamine, a neurotransmitter strongly involved in emotional behavior and mood regulation.
However, the relationship of sound environments with mood and emotions is highly variable across individuals. A putative source of variability is genetic background.
In this regard, a new imaging genetics study directed by Professor Elvira Brattico from Aarhus University and conducted in two Italian hospitals in collaboration with the University of Helsinki (Finland) has provided the first evidence that the effects of music and noise on affective behavior and brain physiology are associated with genetically determined dopamine functionality.
This suggests techies are hard-wired on a genetic level to dislike certain kinds of music.
T. Quarto, et al. Interaction between DRD2 variation and sound environment on mood and emotion-related brain activity. Neuroscience, 2017; 341: 9 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.11.010
(Score: 2, Funny) by BenJeremy on Thursday December 29 2016, @06:23PM
Like my dislike for Rap made after the mid-90s and the dulcet pig squeals of screamo. I have human genes.
(Score: 1) by Francis on Thursday December 29 2016, @06:38PM
Pretty much. There was still some interesting stuff to be had into the mid noughties, but it was harder and harder to find.
I blame the over-availability of technology coupled with a glut of terrible music drowning out the actual artists looking to express something they believed in. How many songs about criminal activities by people frauds can people actually enjoy?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 29 2016, @08:13PM
You developed your musical preference during your formative years while you were forming your social identity. By saying that happened in the mid-90s, all you're doing is announcing your age as mid-thirties.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 29 2016, @08:41PM
You developed your musical preference during your formative years while you were forming your social identity. By saying that happened in the mid-90s, all you're doing is announcing your age as mid-thirties.
But that is not what Francis said (assuming he was not just once again telling us that he doesn't know):
There was still some interesting stuff to be had into the mid noughties,
Mid-nought-ies, not mid-ninties or mid-naughties, so he is probably 26. Millennial. Explains a lot.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 29 2016, @08:55PM
Geezers agree, classic rock is the best.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Thursday December 29 2016, @09:06PM
I'm 31 and I like what came out of the 60s and 70s better than anything later. What's going on here then, reincarnation hangover?
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 29 2016, @10:02PM
I reincarnated as a human... Music preferences are the least of my concerns!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 29 2016, @10:19PM
Sounds like you spent your formative years hanging out with the older generation instead of kids your own age. Or your radio was broken and stuck tuned to an oldies station.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 30 2016, @04:52AM
Could be race memory stored in the collective unconscious.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by tisI on Friday December 30 2016, @12:49AM
There is a Monty Python joke in here somewhere,
2 ACs bickering about while defining a particular age group's taste of rap, as music, of only a few years spread,
.. when you lost me at rap and music being used together in any sentence to begin with. Rap is to music what etch-a-sketch is to art.
I've never understood young privileged white boys wanting to relate to the struggles and discrimination against black youths raised in the ghetto.
Finger nails on a blackboard could also be considered music by your definition. Doesn't bother me one bit, but grates the hell out of others.
Honestly though, I'd rather listen to classical "music" as background when I work/program/whatever.
No words to distract. Pleasant melody. Formula for a good day, which supports the articles premise.
"Suppose you were an idiot...and suppose you were a member of Congress...but I repeat myself."
(Score: 3, Interesting) by AthanasiusKircher on Thursday December 29 2016, @06:32PM
From TFA:
"This study represents the first use of the imaging genetics approach in the field of music and sounds in general. We are really excited about our results because they suggest that even a non-pharmacological intervention such as music, might regulate mood and emotional responses at both the behavioral and neuronal level," says Professor Elvira Brattico.
Okay, I understand this may be cool from a brain imaging perspective. But the idea that "even a non-pharmacological intervention such as music might regulate mood and emotional responses at... the behavioral... level" is nowhere near a novel claim. There is an entire field of music therapy [wikipedia.org] that is founded on that idea, and there are many colleges that even offer degrees in it. While some of it is certainly speculative, there are LOADS of legitimate scientific studies on this stuff. In fact, as you can discover in the full article, the actual stimulus used wasn't just any old normal "music" at all, but rather an excerpt from a specific stimulus called MusiCure [wikipedia.org] which has been used in a number of medical therapeutic environments and was specifically designed for music therapeutical purposes.
[Also, by the way, I'm not sure if the Office Space joke is meant to have any serious connection to TFA, but it really doesn't. Other music studies have shown significant cultural variance in perception of musical affect, i.e., the type of emotional response created by a particular musical stimulus. And there was apparently only one type of "music" stimulus used in this project, along with a generic white "noise" stimulus that was manipulated to have general volume, frequency band, and temporal characteristics to the MusiCure stimulus.]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 29 2016, @06:43PM
... yadda yadda yadda ... music therapy ... yadda yadda yadda ...
You are absolutely correct, but this study proves music therapy is causing a physical reaction rather than just an emotional/psychological reaction. That is an important distinction for many aspects of treatment & acceptance including eventually getting this type of treatment covered by insurance, the VA, etc.
(Score: 2) by martyb on Thursday December 29 2016, @10:18PM
Interesting points, but would like to add that the concept was known long ago; here's a famous quote:
Source: http://www.bartleby.com/100/212.1.html [bartleby.com]:
In my view, even things that are "common sense" are worth rigorous appraisal and confirmation.
Wit is intellect, dancing.
(Score: 2) by AthanasiusKircher on Friday December 30 2016, @04:30AM
In my view, even things that are "common sense" are worth rigorous appraisal and confirmation.
First, let me be clear that I wasn't talking about "common sense" -- I was talking about an existing medical field with a long history of detailed scientific studies (see link in previous post).
Second, if you want to go to the history of musical affect, I have dozens of quotations that are more than thousands of years old. Yes, it's a very old concept. I was talking about the modern scientific field. And yes, it's certainly worth "rigorous appraisal and confirmation" -- my problem is with over-the-top scientific reporting and quotations that make things that have been known for years sound like they are revolutionary.
I wasn't objecting to the reporting of this story or to the subject of the study, which is (as I said) somewhat interesting from a brain imaging perspective. However, I think given the limited stimuli tested and the relative lack of statistical power from the size of the sample that the genetic link should still be considered "speculative" rather than "rigorous." (To be fair, the researchers acknowledge this in the discussion section.)
(Score: 2) by AthanasiusKircher on Friday December 30 2016, @04:33AM
[By the way -- sorry, I should have edited that before hitting "submit", but I didn't actually mean for that post to come across as argumentative as it probably sounded. I appreciate the quotation you gave and was just trying to add further context.]
(Score: 2) by martyb on Friday December 30 2016, @02:10PM
No offense taken - I appreciate your points and did not intend to suggest I was in disagreement with them. I even agree with them!
Just thought I'd add a little something that corroborates that it has long since been "known" that there is more to music than meets the eye (umm, ear!) — with the qualification that just because something is "known" does not necessarily mean it is correct.
I think we are "furiously agreeing" =)
In re-reading my original post, I can see that I was not at all clear in my intention — please accept my apologies.
For a moment, I tried to imagine what life was like before recorded music was [widely] available, where live music was the only music, and suddenly saw why a wandering minstrel would be greatly appreciated. And why a well-done, full-orchestral production would be nirvana-inspiring.
Appreciate the feedback and info. Cheers!
Wit is intellect, dancing.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Friday December 30 2016, @02:48PM
It doesn't. Jokes aren't generally meant to be serious.
Sorry for offending your love of Michael Bolton, BTW.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by martyb on Thursday December 29 2016, @10:27PM
♩♩♫♩ I've been working on the railroad... ♩♩♫♩
There are many examples of tedious work for which songs have been created to help while the hours away.
When I'm cranking out code, I like to have fast-paced rock-n-roll playing on my earphones. I know the tunes well. It blocks out other distractions. And, much like a metronome, sets a good pace to crank things out.
OTOH, when I am trying to sleuth out how to implement something, silence is ideal, but barring that, a quiet symphonic piece works best for me. Something like the Brandenburg Concertos.
Wit is intellect, dancing.