Absolute hearing with a pill
The American cell biologist Takao Hensch and an international team of researchers suspect that a certain chemical substance can stimulate the ability to hear absolutely even after a critical period in childhood.
In an article in the journal Frontiers in Systems Neuoscience, the researchers report on experiments with mice and with so-called histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDAC inhibitors), which apparently favor absolute hearing in a siginificant way. It is not cognitive functions but sensory differentiation abilities that are better activated. The substances in question are contained in a drug that has previously been used to treat epilepsy.
According to current scientific findings, absolute pitch, the ability to recognize not just relative but absolute pitches, can only be acquired during a critical phase of childhood. Later on, even intensive training is of no use.
Original article: Gervain J, Vines BW, Chen LM, Seo RJ, Hensch TK, Werker JF and Young AH (2013) Valproate reopens critical-period learning of absolute pitch. Front. Syst. Neurosci. 7:102. doi: 10.3389/fnsys.2013.00102
