Study Finds Music Can Regulate Emotions

Study in a Sentence: Researchers in Italy and Finland discovered that genetic variations in the gene encoding for the dopamine (a neurotransmitter important for regulating mood) D2 receptor can modulate emotional response to sounds in the environment.  

Healthy for Humans: Noninvasive music interventions for mood disorders in humans can be developed by understanding what causes individuals to respond differently to sounds. 

Redefining Research: Unlike animal model studies, this human-based research study reveals a new biological explanation for individual variations in emotional responses that has direct relevance to humans and can potentially be translated to therapeutic interventions for humans.