By delving into the genomes of people on 23andMe, scientists have shown that human language and musical rhythm share “genetic architecture”, suggesting the two abilities may have evolved in tandem.
Music was a human quality that confused the hell out of Charles Darwin. To him, it served no immediate advantage for our survival, so what’s the point? In his later years, he wrote: “As neither the enjoyment nor the capacity of producing musical notes are faculties of the least use to man in reference to his daily habits of life, they must be ranked amongst the most mysterious with which he is endowed.”
Today’s anthropologists offer various explanations for why humans developed the ability to create and enjoy music. Most suggest it serves a social function by creating shared emotive experiences that foster group cohesion and bonding. Its rhythmic and melodic elements may have played a role in synchronizing group activities, such as work or rituals, enhancing unity and collective action.
Other thinkers, including Darwin, have wondered whether musicality has a cross-over with sexual selection. Just like a songbird woo-ing a potential mate, those who could impress others by mastering a melody or rhythm may be more likely to reproduce.
Its genetic underpinnings, however, have been less clear. In a new study, scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics in the Netherlands trawled through heaps of genetic data on 23andMe and found potential genetic links between rhythmic abilities and language skills.
People with rhythm skills were found to have a greater awareness of certain linguistic features and had better language skills than mathematics in school.
They also found a significant genetic overlap between rhythm and language traits with white matter structures in the brain, such as the SLF-I, which is involved in the regulation of physical movement. This led the researchers to conclude there may be a “shared genetic and neuronal architecture” for rhythm and language.
Interestingly, their study highlighted a genetic link between rhythm impairment and dyslexia, a common condition that involves problems with reading, writing, and spelling. In particular, there was a significant association between these characteristics and the gene PPP2R3A, which is involved in processes like cell growth and division.
The idea that music is an evolutionary by-product of language is not new, but this latest study does highlight how the two abilities are deeply intertwined. While the development of language was a fundamental milestone in human evolution, skyrocketing us toward greater social complexity, the beating of a drum and the whistling of a tune should not be underestimated in explaining how humans came to dominate the world.
The new study is published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour.
