title: The effect of music performance on the transcriptome of professional musicians.
abstract: Music performance by professional musicians involves a wide-spectrum of cognitive and multi-sensory motor skills, whose biological basis is unknown. Several neuroscientific studies have demonstrated that the brains of professional musicians and non-musicians differ structurally and functionally and that musical training enhances cognition. However, the molecules and molecular mechanisms involved in music performance remain largely unexplored. Here, we investigated the effect of music performance on the genome-wide peripheral blood transcriptome of professional musicians by analyzing the transcriptional responses after a 2-hr concert performance and after a 'music-free' control session. The up-regulated genes were found to affect dopaminergic neurotransmission, motor behavior, neuronal plasticity, and neurocognitive functions including learning and memory. Particularly, candidate genes such as SNCA, FOS and DUSP1 that are involved in song perception and production in songbirds, were identified, suggesting an evolutionary conservation in biological processes related to sound perception/production. Additionally, modulation of genes related to calcium ion homeostasis, iron ion homeostasis, glutathione metabolism, and several neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases implied that music performance may affect the biological pathways that are otherwise essential for the proper maintenance of neuronal function and survival. For the first time, this study provides evidence for the candidate genes and molecular mechanisms underlying music performance.
authors: Department of Medical Genetics, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 720, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Chakravarthi
authors: C
authors: Kanduri
authors: DocMus doctoral school, Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts, P.O. Box 30, FI 0097 Uniarts, Finland.
authors: Tuire
authors: T
authors: Kuusi
authors: Department of Medical Genetics, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 720, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Minna
authors: M
authors: Ahvenainen
authors: Department of Medical Genetics, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 720, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Anju K
authors: AK
authors: Philips
authors: Department of Information and Computer Science, Aalto University, FI-00076 AALTO, Finland.
authors: Harri
authors: H
authors: Lähdesmäki
authors: Department of Medical Genetics, Haartman Institute, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 720, 00014 University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Irma
authors: I
authors: Järvelä
mesh_terms: D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000235:genetics*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology; D009146:Music; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000235:genetics*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000235:genetics; D059467:Transcriptome / Q000235:genetics*