A comprehensive investigation into the genetic relationship between music engagement and mental health

Abstract

While music engagement is often regarded as beneficial for mental health, some studies report higher risk for depression and anxiety among musicians. This study investigates whether shared underlying genetic influences (genetic pleiotropy) or gene-environment interaction could be at play in the music-mental health association using measured genotypes. In 5,648 Swedish twins with information on music and sport engagement, creative achievements, self-reported mental health and psychiatric diagnoses based on nationwide patient registries, we derived polygenic scores for major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, neuroticism, sensitivity to environmental stress, depressive symptoms and general musicality. In line with phenotypic associations, individuals with higher polygenic scores for major depression and bipolar disorder were more likely to play music, practice more music and reach higher levels of general artistic achievements, while a higher genetic propensity for general musicality was marginally associated with a higher risk for a depression diagnosis. Importantly, polygenic scores for major depression and bipolar remained associated with music engagement when excluding individuals who experienced psychiatric symptoms, just as a genetic propensity for general musicality predicted a depression diagnosis regardless of whether and how much individuals played music. In addition, we found no evidence for gene-environment interaction: the phenotypic association between music engagement and mental health outcomes did not differ for individuals with different genetic vulnerability for mental health problems. Altogether, our findings suggest that mental health problems observed in musically active individuals are partly explained by a pre-existing genetic risk for depression and bipolar disorder and likely reflect horizontal pleiotropy (when one gene influences multiple traits), rather than causal influences of mental health on music engagement, or vice versa (referred to as vertical pleiotropy).

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“…Another aspect refers to a possible gene interaction between depression and musical activity. In a study of Wesseldijk et al it was shown that individuals with higher polygenic scores for major depression and bipolar disorder were more likely to play music, practice more music and reach higher levels of general artistic achievements, while a higher genetic propensity for general musicality was marginally associated with a higher risk for a depression diagnosis [ 32 ]. Since blood samples are available from the study for further genetic analyses, this could be a topic for future investigations.…”

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“…Some research investigated the relationship between music activity participation and mental health through polygenic scores and found that the higher the genetic risk of BD, the more participation. 65 The GWAS study of creativity also supports a shared genetic basis between psychiatric disorders and creativity. 66 Of course, despite the achievements of many BD patients, the majority of patients suffer from cognitive impairment and severe disability, leading to decreased psychosocial function and increased economic costs.…”

How music-induced emotions affect sexual attraction: evolutionary implications

“…To be logically consistent with evolutionary theory, adaptive accounts require evidence of the heritability of at least some components of musicality, as well as evidence of the presence of a selectively acquired function ( Justus and Hutsler, 2005 ; McDermott and Hauser, 2005 ; Croston et al, 2015 ). While it is difficult to assess the selective pressures faced by our ancestors with respect to musicality ( Honing et al, 2015 ), studies have shown a large phenotypic variability in musicality among humans ( Müllensiefen et al, 2014 ), which is at least partly heritable ( Gingras et al, 2015a ; Mosing et al, 2015 ; Wesseldijk et al, 2023 ). Thus, currently available evidence suggests that adaptationist accounts of the origins of musicality have cleared this initial hurdle, although much work remains to be done.…”