title: Recreational music-making modulates the human stress response: a preliminary individualized gene expression strategy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A central component of the complex human biological stress response is the modulation of the neuro-endocrine-immune system with its intricate feedback loops that support homeostatic regulation. Well-documented marked gene expression variability among human and animal subjects coupled with sample collection timing and delayed effects, as well as a host of molecular detection challenges renders the quest for deciphering the human biological stress response challenging from many perspectives.
  
  
  METHODS
  A novel Recreational Music-Making (RMM) program was used in combination with a new strategy for peripheral blood gene expression analysis to assess individualized genomic stress induction signatures. The expression of 45 immune response-related genes was determined using a multiplex preamplification step prior to conventional quantitative Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) mRNA analysis to characterize the multidimensional biological impact of a 2-phase controlled stress induction/amelioration experimental protocol in 32 randomly assigned individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In subjects performing the RMM activity following a 1-hour stress induction protocol, 19 out of 45 markers demonstrated reversal with significant (P = 0.05) Pearson correlations in contrast to 6 out of 45 markers in the resting control group and 0 out of 45 in the ongoing stressor group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The resultant amelioration of stress-induced genomic expression supports the underlying premise that RMM warrants additional consideration as a rational choice within our armamentarium of stress reduction strategies. Modulation of individualized genomic stress induction signatures in peripheral blood presents a new opportunity for elucidating the dynamics of the human stress response.
authors.affiliation: Meadville Medical Center, Mind-Body Wellness Center, Meadville, PA 16335, USA. doctorb@mind-body.org
authors.forename: Barry
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bittman
authors.forename: Lee
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berk
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shannon
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharaf
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Westengard
authors.forename: Karl J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Guegler
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Ruff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music / Q000523:psychology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D011998:Recreation / Q000523:psychology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012333:RNA, Messenger