Genes may help explain why some people are naturally more interested in music than others, a new study has found.
The research suggests that genes that affect hearing and cognitive function may play roles in one's musical aptitude, or the ability to understand and perceive rhythm, pitch, timbre, tone durations, and formal structure in music.
Researchers explain that extremes in musical aptitude (extreme capacity/no capacity) are rare within a population, with the majority of individuals having moderate aptitude.
"This is a typical feature of a complex trait attributable to several underlying genes, and it is influenced to varying degrees by environmental factors, such as exposure to music or musical training," said co-author Dr Irma Jarvela from the Department of Medical Genetics, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Although music and other forms of art can develop in diverse directions, they are linked to the genetic profiles of populations, researchers said.
Hearing music is a strong environmental trigger that serves as an excellent model to study the crosstalk between genes and the environment, they said.
"We propose that the ability to enjoy and practice music requires musical aptitude, which is a common and innate trait facilitating the enjoyment and practice of music.
"The innate drive for music can only have arisen by exposure to music, and it develops with motivation and training in musically rich environments," said researchers.
The study was published in the journal BioEssays.
