Same Genes, Different Brains: Neuroanatomical Differences Between Monozygotic Twins Discordant for Musical Training
Open accessAbstract
Numerous cross-sectional and observational longitudinal studies show associations between expertise and regional brain anatomy. However, since these designs confound training with genetic predisposition, the causal role of training remains unclear. Here, we use a discordant monozygotic (identical) twin design to study expertise-dependent effects on neuroanatomy using musical training as model behavior, while essentially controlling for genetic factors and shared environment of upbringing. From a larger cohort of monozygotic twins, we were able to recruit 18 individuals (9 pairs) that were highly discordant for piano practice. We used structural and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging to analyze the auditory-motor network and within-pair differences in cortical thickness, cerebellar regional volumes and white-matter microstructure/fractional anisotropy. The analyses revealed that the musically active twins had greater cortical thickness in the auditory-motor network of the left hemisphere and more developed white matter microstructure in relevant tracts in both hemispheres and the corpus callosum. Furthermore, the volume of gray matter in the left cerebellar region of interest comprising lobules I-IV + V, was greater in the playing group. These findings provide the first clear support for that a significant portion of the differences in brain anatomy between experts and nonexperts depend on causal effects of training.
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De Manzano and Ullén (2018) found that even when controlling for genes and early shared environment, there can be observable neuroanatomical differences in gray matter and white matter microstructure between individuals that differ vastly in musical training.
“De Manzano and Ullén (2018, p. 392) found “that even when controlling for genes and early shared environment, there can be observable neuroanatomical differences in both gray matter and white matter microstructure between individuals that differ vastly in musical training.””
From Deliberate Practice and Proposed Limits on the Effects of Practice on the Acquisition of Expert Performance: Why the Original Definition Matters and Recommendations for Future Research (2019) · cites this paper as De Manzano and Ullén, 2018
This group of researchers has published several papers on twins where only one identical twin in a pair is playing music but limited these analyses to the amateur musicians in their sample.
“This group of researchers has published several papers on twins where only one identical twin in a pair is playing music but they limited these analyses to the amateur musicians in their sample (Eriksson et al., 2017; De Manzano and Ullén, 2018).”
From Deliberate Practice and Proposed Limits on the Effects of Practice on the Acquisition of Expert Performance: Why the Original Definition Matters and Recommendations for Future Research (2019) · cites this paper as De Manzano and Ullén, 2018
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The role of deliberate practice in the acquisition of expert performance
Ericsson, K. A., Krampe, R. T., & Tesch-Römer, C. (1993) · Psychological Review · doi:10.1037/0033-295x.100.3.363 · Cited by 9,564 · cited 2× · see citing works
“influential deliberate practice theory, which states that longterm goal-directed practice is both necessary and sufficient to account for expert performance (Ericsson et al. 1993), and by implication its neural correlates, has been seriously challenged in recent years.”
BackgroundMacnamara, B. N., Hambrick, D. Z., & Oswald, F. L. (2014) · Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/0956797614535810 · Cited by 656 · see citing works
Emergence of Individuality in Genetically Identical Mice
Freund, J., Brandmaier, A. M., Lewejohann, L., Kirste, I., Kritzler, M., Krüger, A., Sachser, N., Lindenberger, U., & Kempermann, G. (2013) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1235294 · Cited by 536 · cited 2× · see citing works
“together, differences in structural brain plasticity and behavior is to some extent an inevitable and potentially unpredictable outcome of development (Freund et al. 2013; Bierbach et al. 2017).”
BackgroundCausal Inference and Observational Research: The Utility of Twins
McGue, M., Osler, M., & Christensen, K. (2010) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691610383511 · Cited by 529 · see citing works
Brown, S., Martinez, M. J., & Parsons, L. M. (2006) · European Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.04785.x · Cited by 371 · see citing works
The Relationship Between Deliberate Practice and Performance in Sports: A Meta-Analysis
Macnamara, B. N., Moreau, D., & Hambrick, D. Z. (2016) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691616635591 · Cited by 248 · see citing works
The influence of deliberate practice on musical achievement: a meta-analysis.
Platz, F., Kopiez, R., Lehmann, A. C., & Wolf, A. (2014) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00646 · Cited by 152 · see citing works
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Research works printed but not linked: 1
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Ericsson, K. A., & Harwell, K. W. (2019) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02396 · Cited by 370 · see citing works
Links between the neurobiology of oxytocin and human musicality
Harvey, A. R. (2020) · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnhum.2020.00350 · Cited by 85 · see citing works
- Authors
- de Manzano, Ö., & Ullén, F.
- Affiliations
- Department of Neuroscience, Retzius väg 8, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- ORCID
- Ullén, Fredrik
- Venue
- Cerebral Cortex
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2017-11-09
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 387-394
- ISSN
- 1047-3211 (ISSN-L)
- 1460-2199
- OpenAlex
- W2768074705
- Cited by
- 92
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 6
- FWCI
- 3.46
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc
- Locations
- Cerebral Cortex (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- The Bank of Sweden Tercentenary Foundation (M11–0451:1)
- Sven and Dagmar Salén Foundation
- Kjell and Märta Beijer Foundation
- Hjärnfonden (FO2015–0267)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Music Perception
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Hemispheric Asymmetry in Neuroscience
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Music › Diverse Music Education Insights
- Keywords
- musical training, piano practice, expertise, neuroanatomy, monozygotic twins, discordant twins, cortical thickness, cerebellar volume, white matter microstructure, fractional anisotropy, corpus callosum, neuroplasticity
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Brain, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Functional Laterality, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Music, Organ Size, Practice, Psychological, Professional Competence, Twins, Monozygotic, Cohort Studies, Genetic Association Studies, White Matter, Gray Matter
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