In the autumn of 1802, some 25 years before his death, Ludwig van Beethoven wrote to his brothers: The famous composer was distraught at the progressing deafness and after his death begged them to seek out a doctor and “ask him by my name to explain my illness.”
More than two centuries later, researchers are one step closer to fulfilling that wish. Tristan Begg, an ancient genome researcher at the University of Cambridge, UK, and his colleagues extracted genetic material from a preserved lock of hair attributed to Beethoven. Previous attempts to extract genetic material from fragments of the composer’s hair and skull had failed. However, advances over the past two decades in methods for sequencing DNA from degraded samples from centuries ago have made modern research possible.
Unfortunately, the cause of Beethoven’s deafness remains a mystery, but analyzes suggest that Beethoven likely died of liver disease caused by a combination of factors. The study was published this week biology today.
Begg tested eight locks claimed to be Beethoven’s. Five matched each other and were assumed to be authentic samples of the composer’s hair. We analyzed the gene sequences that can cause known diseases.
Walther Parson, a forensic molecular biologist at the Medical University of Innsbruck in Austria, who has worked on other historic cases, said the study was “a major technical achievement.” These include the identification of two children of Nicholas II, the last Tsar of the Russian Empire, from a body found in 2007.
Obtaining useful genetic material from such old hair is not easy. “Just getting the sample material is impressive,” says Christian Reiter, a forensic expert at the Medical University of Vienna, who certified a partial Beethoven skull in 2022.
death from liver disease
A new study suggests that Beethoven likely died of liver disease caused by a combination of viral hepatitis, alcohol consumption and genetic factors. “It was the perfect storm,” says Begg.
Extracted DNA showed that Beethoven had two copies of a specific variant of the gene PNPLA3 It is associated with cirrhosis of the liver. he also HFE A gene that causes hereditary hemochromatosis, a condition that damages the liver. “This is really important,” says Begg. According to past reports, Beethoven was a heavy drinker, especially during his year before his death. This should have further increased the risk of liver damage.
DNA extracted from hair cut off the composer’s head after his death also contained fragments of the hepatitis B virus, which can cause liver damage. “We don’t know when or how he got it,” said Begg, who suspected Beethoven had a chronic dormant infection that recurred months before he died. say.
This finding is consistent with historical accounts of Beethoven’s death. In December 1826, the composer’s health deteriorated rapidly. He developed jaundice and his limbs were swollen. Both of these are signs of liver failure. He lay down on his bed and remained there until his death in March 1827.
Ian Gilmore, a hepatologist at the University of Liverpool in the UK, says that hair analysis shows a variety of potential causes of cirrhosis, and that “the truth probably lies in the interplay between some of these.”
Genes Are Silent About Causes of Hearing Loss
The cause of Beethoven’s deafness remains a mystery. Begg and his colleagues scanned the composer’s genome for several conditions associated with hearing loss, including Paget’s disease and lupus. Beethoven had some genetic markers that put him at an increased risk of developing lupus, but the condition is rare and doesn’t always lead to hearing loss, so Begg suspects it was the cause of his hearing loss. I don’t think he is a strong candidate.
“Medical genetics addresses the same issues that patients live today,” Persson says. “DNA sequences do not provide all the information we need to understand the cause of disease.”
Medical historians speculate that otosclerosis, a condition in which a small ear bone called the stapes fuses with the rest of the ear, may have caused Beethoven’s hearing loss. This is a possibility, as the genetic cause of otosclerosis has not yet been identified, but the theory cannot be confirmed in this study. The team says they can double-check Beethoven’s genome.
Persson said that now that Beethoven’s genetic information is out, amateur detectives will investigate further and see how he may be related to the famous composer. As with all good stories, there are as many questions left as answers,” he says.
