A pill for perfect pitch?

Rook

Rook

Power User
A drug called Valproic Acid has been to shown to increase the capacity for test subjects to learn perfect pitch. Not quite sure what to think of that, but it sure is fascinating from a neuroscience and developmental psychology standpoint.

Abstract from the paper:

"Absolute pitch, the ability to identify or produce the pitch of a sound without a reference point, has a critical period, i.e., it can only be acquired early in life. However, research has shown that histone-deacetylase inhibitors (HDAC inhibitors) enable adult mice to establish perceptual preferences that are otherwise impossible to acquire after youth. In humans, we found that adult men who took valproate (VPA) (a HDAC inhibitor) learned to identify pitch significantly better than those taking placebo—evidence that VPA facilitated critical-period learning in the adult human brain. Importantly, this result was not due to a general change in cognitive function, but rather a specific effect on a sensory task associated with a critical-period."
 
i would imagine that perfect pitch would be a curse for guitar players:)all those off thirds and intonation compromises would grate on your nerves after a while.
 
I learned relative pitch through interval training at an early age and I know what an E sounds like all day long. That's 80% of the way to having perfect pitch .
 
There are many misconception with regard to what "perfect pitch" really is.

Perfect pitch (also referred to as absolute pitch) is an ability to instantaneously identify or sing any given musical note without a reference pitch.

Just as visual colours are a personal experience that we can individually relate to and remember (because of some descriptive "flavour' or "quality")....in the same way....pitch(s) "MUST" have some kind of "flavour" or "quality" that enables people to instantly recognise the note.

People with this ability don't get any more uncomfortable or irritated with so-called out of tune notes or harmony discord than the rest of people without the ability. Just as our eyes don't necessarily hurt when colours are blended haphazardly or randomly.

Just my 2 cents....
 
Valproate ( Valproic acid) is used for:

Controlling certain types of seizures in the treatment of epilepsy in patients who are unable to take the oral form of valproate. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.
Valproate is an anticonvulsant. It works by increasing a certain chemical in the brain.

Side Effects
Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing
Confusion, problems with memory, muscle twitching, problems with balance, walking, or speech
Dark urine or pale stools, loss of appetite, pain in your upper stomach, yellow skin or eyes
Fever, chills, cough, sore throat, or body aches
Rapid weight gain, swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet
Sudden and severe stomach pain, nausea, vomiting,
Thoughts of hurting yourself, depression, unusual changes in behavior
Unusual bleeding, bruising, or weakness
Anxiety, agitation, restlessness, trouble sleeping
Blurred vision, dizziness
Constipation, diarrhea
Hair loss
Headache
Runny or stuffy nose


Warnings
Liver failure and death from liver failure has occurred in patients taking valproate. This has usually occurred within the first 6 months of treatment. Tell your doctor right away if you notice symptoms of liver problems (eg, a general feeling of discomfort, sluggishness, unusual tiredness or weakness, swelling of the face, loss of appetite, vomiting, stomach pain, dark urine, pale stools, or yellowing of the skin or eyes). In patients who have seizures, loss of seizure control may occur. You should have lab tests done before and during treatment to check for liver problems. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.

Children younger than 2 years old have an increased risk of fatal liver problems, especially if they take more than 1 seizure medicine or have a metabolic disorder, a severe seizure disorder along with mental retardation, or organic brain disease. Discuss any questions or concerns with your doctor.

There is an increased risk of liver failure and death from liver failure in patients who have a genetic liver problem caused by a mitochondrial disorder (eg, Alpers-Huttenlocher syndrome). You may need to have a special genetic test to check for this condition. Certain patients who have known or suspected mitochondrial disorders should not take valproate. Talk with your doctor for more information.

Valproate can cause severe birth defects if it is used during pregnancy. It can also cause the child to have a lower IQ. Do not take valproate to prevent migraine headaches if you are pregnant. If you are pregnant and take valproate for seizures or bipolar disorder, talk to your doctor to decide if you will continue to take valproate.

If you are able to become pregnant, you must use an effective form of birth control while you take valproate. Contact your doctor right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant while taking valproate.

Valproate comes with an extra patient information sheet called a Medication Guide. Read it carefully. Read it again each time you get valproate refilled.


Severe and sometimes fatal pancreas problems (pancreatitis) have occurred with the use of valproate. This has been reported shortly after starting treatment as well as after several years of use. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite.
 
reclavea said:
There are many misconception with regard to what "perfect pitch" really is.

Perfect pitch (also referred to as absolute pitch) is an ability to instantaneously identify or sing any given musical note without a reference pitch.

Just as visual colours are a personal experience that we can individually relate to and remember (because of some descriptive "flavour' or "quality")....in the same way....pitch(s) "MUST" have some kind of "flavour" or "quality" that enables people to instantly recognise the note.

People with this ability don't get any more uncomfortable or irritated with so-called out of tune notes or harmony discord than the rest of people without the ability. Just as our eyes don't necessarily hurt when colours are blended haphazardly or randomly.

Just my 2 cents....
Click to expand...

good point.but i have to admit,when i hear a band and the instruments are out of tune from one another,it is just completely unlistenable.two guitars slightly off is bloody offal.
 
RDeraz said:
good point.but i have to admit,when i hear a band and the instruments are out of tune from one another,it is just completely unlistenable.two guitars slightly off is bloody offal.thought i read somewhere that turbo tuners cause rectal bleeding!
Click to expand...
No rectal bleeding here, but your spelling and punctuation may cause it.:roll
 
If you suddenly die from taking this medicine please stop taking it immediately

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: LVC
Rook said:
"Absolute pitch, the ability to identify or produce the pitch of a sound without a reference point, has a critical period, i.e., it can only be acquired early in life. However, research has shown that histone-deacetylase inhibitors (HDAC inhibitors) enable adult mice to establish perceptual preferences that are otherwise impossible to acquire after youth. In humans, we found that adult men who took valproate (VPA) (a HDAC inhibitor) learned to identify pitch significantly better than those taking placebo—evidence that VPA facilitated critical-period learning in the adult human brain. Importantly, this result was not due to a general change in cognitive function, but rather a specific effect on a sensory task associated with a critical-period."
Click to expand...

Psycho-babble crap from people who invented killer drugs like Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil and so forth. Jeez, this kind of stuff makes me sick. Sorry but anyone claiming to actual results with this kind of mind altering drugs should test them for a year or two on themselves before offering them on the market. Yuck!
 
LVC said:
Valproate ( Valproic acid) is used for:

Controlling certain types of seizures in the treatment of epilepsy in patients who are unable to take the oral form of valproate. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.
Valproate is an anticonvulsant. It works by increasing a certain chemical in the brain.

Side Effects
Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing
Confusion, problems with memory, muscle twitching, problems with balance, walking, or speech
Dark urine or pale stools, loss of appetite, pain in your upper stomach, yellow skin or eyes
Fever, chills, cough, sore throat, or body aches
Rapid weight gain, swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet
Sudden and severe stomach pain, nausea, vomiting,
Thoughts of hurting yourself, depression, unusual changes in behavior
Unusual bleeding, bruising, or weakness
Anxiety, agitation, restlessness, trouble sleeping
Blurred vision, dizziness
Constipation, diarrhea
Hair loss
Headache
Runny or stuffy nose


Warnings
Liver failure and death from liver failure has occurred in patients taking valproate. This has usually occurred within the first 6 months of treatment. Tell your doctor right away if you notice symptoms of liver problems (eg, a general feeling of discomfort, sluggishness, unusual tiredness or weakness, swelling of the face, loss of appetite, vomiting, stomach pain, dark urine, pale stools, or yellowing of the skin or eyes). In patients who have seizures, loss of seizure control may occur. You should have lab tests done before and during treatment to check for liver problems. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.

Children younger than 2 years old have an increased risk of fatal liver problems, especially if they take more than 1 seizure medicine or have a metabolic disorder, a severe seizure disorder along with mental retardation, or organic brain disease. Discuss any questions or concerns with your doctor.

There is an increased risk of liver failure and death from liver failure in patients who have a genetic liver problem caused by a mitochondrial disorder (eg, Alpers-Huttenlocher syndrome). You may need to have a special genetic test to check for this condition. Certain patients who have known or suspected mitochondrial disorders should not take valproate. Talk with your doctor for more information.

Valproate can cause severe birth defects if it is used during pregnancy. It can also cause the child to have a lower IQ. Do not take valproate to prevent migraine headaches if you are pregnant. If you are pregnant and take valproate for seizures or bipolar disorder, talk to your doctor to decide if you will continue to take valproate.

If you are able to become pregnant, you must use an effective form of birth control while you take valproate. Contact your doctor right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant while taking valproate.

Valproate comes with an extra patient information sheet called a Medication Guide. Read it carefully. Read it again each time you get valproate refilled.


Severe and sometimes fatal pancreas problems (pancreatitis) have occurred with the use of valproate. This has been reported shortly after starting treatment as well as after several years of use. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite.
Click to expand...

So, no worse than cocaine and/or heroine... COUNT ME IN! *ROCKSTAR*
 
Patzag said:
Psycho-babble crap from people who invented killer drugs like Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil and so forth. Jeez, this kind of stuff makes me sick. Sorry but anyone claiming to actual results with this kind of mind altering drugs should test them for a year or two on themselves before offering them on the market. Yuck!
Click to expand...

Fortunately I don't think we'll see doctors routinely prescribing valproate for ear-training. Research may indicate that it can be used for this purpose, but doctors know how potent anticonvulsant drugs are (quite!) so I can't imagine that it would be given for this purpose alone. People with epilepsy may benefit from this unusual side-effect, though!
 
RDeraz said:
good point.but i have to admit,when i hear a band and the instruments are out of tune from one another,it is just completely unlistenable.two guitars slightly off is bloody offal.
Click to expand...

That's different to being able to identify a pitch without a reference though. I have an accurate ear, but I've never trained it to recognise diddly squat. I certainly don't have perfect pitch, but I don't even have good relative pitch either.
 
RDeraz said:
good point.but i have to admit,when i hear a band and the instruments are out of tune from one another,it is just completely unlistenable.two guitars slightly off is bloody offal.
Click to expand...

Very true......!!

but....applies to all of us....even those without Perfect Pitch ability.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom