Brain Research Meets Country Music (<em>NPR</em>)

People with Williams syndrome often have profound love of music

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This summer marks the 12th anniversary of a summer camp specifically for people with Williams syndrome -- a rare genetic disorder that can cause developmental disabilities.

Run by researchers at Vanderbilt University, campers come to Nashville to share their passion for country music and participate in cutting-edge research, reported NPR.

Scientists know that people with Williams syndrome often have a zest for music, but they are still trying to figure out where this musical affinity comes from and how it can be channeled to overcome their challenges. So far they have identified a neurological component meaning that when people with the condition listen to music, the visual area of the brain is stimulated more than in people without the condition.