Your Brain on Art

We're thrilled that Your Brain on Art was included in Nicole Cromwell's Art of Healing boxes for her recent workshop with the Neuro Critical Care Nurses at Stanford University. While much of the focus in healthcare is on patient outcomes, it's crucial to remember that caregivers also benefit greatly from arts-based practices. These practices have been shown to reduce anxiety, depression, fatigue, and more, improving the overall well-being of healthcare workers who endure long hours in stressful environments. Studies funded by Americans for the Arts reveal that hospitals with arts programs report shorter patient stays and reduced staff burnout. With the World Health Organization projecting an 18 million healthcare worker shortfall by 2030, advocating for arts and neuroarts-based design in hospitals is urgently needed for the well-being of our healthcare professionals now and into the future.

Our incredibly talented friend IN-Q, Emmy nominated poet, multi-platinum songwriter, and the best-selling author, has recently published “The Never Ending Now Poetry Journal”. This journal allows writers (experienced and new) to change their story and change their life through the power of poetry. Each chapter, guided by purposeful prompts, invites you to experience, create, and activate. This process enables you to express your truth, serving as a positive outlet for stress relief, self-reflection, and self-expression. Our brains are hardwired for the rhythms and rhymes of poetry, lighting up the right side of the brain, while a poem that truly resonates with us does so at a neurological level by stimulating the areas of the brain that are associated with meaning-making and the interpretation of reality. What better way to make sense of yourself than by exploring your own story, through poetry? https://lnkd.in/gBR8vTRb

On June 1st we were honored to co-host BrainMind: Your Brain on Art in New York City. This event was a gathering of cultural and business leaders, philanthropists, artists, researchers and investors in Neuroarts with the goal to significantly accelerate and move the needle on the emerging field of #neuroarts. Throughout a single day new connections were made, research was shared, and collaboration conversations began. With Your Brain on Art framing the discussions and immersive art experiences spread throughout the program, a vibrant community was created to continue to propel the essential growth of neuroarts to address some of the world's most intractable issues through arts and aesthetic experiences.

Take a deep dive into the latest CNN Mindfulness article -"Do this once a month and extend your life by up to 10 years. No gym required." in which Susan and author Bianca Bosker are interviewed by Jessica DuLong about the transformative power of the arts. Find answers to the following questions and more: Why are the arts found universally across cultures and time periods in every human society when they seemingly don't provide for any of our essential physical needs? Not all artistic experiences are pleasant, coherent, or instill a sense of ease, are these experiences still beneficial? Is special training or artistic ability required to enjoy the benefits of aesthetic experience? What cognitive and physiological benefits do you gain from engaging with the arts? Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gtU-yMmi

Read "The Museum and the Mind: The field of neuroarts is amplifying how the arts and aesthetic experiences measurably change the body, brain, and behavior", by Susan Magsamen in American Alliance of Museums May-June 2024 issue of Museum by following the link at the end of the post. The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions. - Walph Raldo Emerson Delve into how museums can serve as vital facilitators of cognitively enriching neuroaesthetic experiences and an introduction to the four concepts of the neuroarts: - Neuroplasticity - Enriched Environments - "Aesthetic Triad" - Default Mode Network (DMN) When was the last time you visited a museum? What museum are you excited to visit soon? We would love to hear from you. https://lnkd.in/e2-WeU4a

Daisy Fancourt is an award winning researcher who has been seeking to understand what role the arts play in society - are there real, measurable benefits, or do people engage in the arts purely for the arts sake? Her research demonstrates numerous robust cognitive, psychological and physiological benefits and is an important contribution to the larger research effort analyzing the role the arts play in our wellbeing. One of her longitudinal studies, looking at a cohort of over 6,000 participants over 14 years with an average age of 65, looked at mortality rates when adjusted for frequency in engagement with receptive arts. Receptive arts as opposed to active arts engagement, include attending theater performances, concerts, operas, museums, art galleries, and exhibitions. Infrequent receptive arts participants who engaged with the arts once or twice per year, had a 14% lower risk of dying compared to their counterparts who reported no receptive arts engagement. Participants who frequently engaged in receptive arts, every few months or more, had an astonishing 31% lower risk of dying. These results are after adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, health related, behavioral, and social factors. The arts literally help you live longer. Click here to read the full study: https://lnkd.in/eDwUhjd

A recent study conducted by researchers from Finland and China explored whether the emotional tones and structural aspects of music prompt distinct bodily sensations and whether these sensations remain consistent across different cultures. They recruited participants from Europe, North America, and East Asia and had them listen to both Western and Asian music, asking them to indicate where in their body they experienced changes. The findings revealed that the emotions evoked by music and the corresponding bodily sensations were remarkably similar across cultural backgrounds. These results support the hypothesis that there are universal similarities and effects of music and sound on individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. Music is a human universal, impacting us deeply within our nervous system. We know utilizing music and music therapy can enhance overall mental well-being and social functioning, and it can mitigate negative symptoms observed in individuals with schizophrenia, serving as a means to process emotions. Anxiety and emotional dysregulation can be influenced and moderated through rhythm, repetitive lyrics, or chords that, in part, engage the neocortex of our brain, leading to a sense of calmness and reduced impulsivity. This study suggests that curated playlists aimed at promoting well-being could prove beneficial for people from all cultural backgrounds. We can envision a future where individuals receive carefully crafted playlists tailored to address their specific health and wellness needs. How do you personally leverage music to enhance your physical and mental health? Read the full study here: https://lnkd.in/gckTGru3 #music #sound

Hearing music performed live, right in front of you, could be described as a transcendent experience. Whether you’re listening to a classical symphony or a rock concert your entire body is reacting to the sounds filling the space you're sitting or standing in. Researchers in Zurich found that live music elicits more brain activity than recorded music. Using functional MRI, researchers measured the listeners’ amygdala activity while listening to live music and recorded music. Consistent amygdala activity and higher activity in a broader neural network for emotion processing was seen while listening to live music. Musicians playing live music can dynamically and adaptively modulate their performance based on audience feedback to amplify listeners' emotional response. Read the full study here: https://lnkd.in/g5TrjEpm Seize your next opportunity to go enjoy live music in person. While we encourage listening to all forms of music, there's nothing quite like a live performance to activate your brain! #neuroart #neuroaesthetics #neuroscience

Take a moment to deepen your relationship to color with this guided color-infused meditation with Dora Kamau, meditation teacher and mindfulness artist, hosted by The Museum of Modern Art. https://lnkd.in/dvZ3dqH5 Did you know that our eyes can detect more than 10 million colors? The visual cortex located in the occipital lobe controls our color perception and colors have a measurable biological effect on us such as changing our respiration, blood pressure, or body temperature. For example, red has been shown to increase our galvanic skin response or how much our sweat glands react, far more than green or blue. Certain colors, like red, yellow, and orange have been shown to stimulate the appetite, while other colors, such as blue, can have appetite-suppressing effects. Color therapists have been harnessing these powerful effects in their therapeutic practices for centuries all around the world and researchers have studied how specific colors impact people within certain environments. A specific shade of pink (Cool Down Pink) was used by Daniela Späth in Swiss prisons during a 4 year study which showed a calming effect on prisoners, reducing hostile, violent and aggressive behavior, but further research is needed to demonstrate this conclusively. Different cultures assign variable meanings to colors and individual experience can uniquely inform one’s experience of particular colors. While the psycho-physiological effects of color may vary between individuals, the observation that different colors have different psycho-physiological effects is consistent. Do you have powerful memories associated with certain colors? What colors do you find exciting or calming? #neuroscience #design #meditation #neuroart #neuroaesthetics

In a 2016 study, Girija Kaimal, assistant dean specializing in special research initiatives and associate professor in the creative arts therapies PhD program at Drexel University, discovered that engaging in art for just 45 minutes can significantly decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol for most individuals, regardless of their artistic skill level or prior experience. This finding underscores the physiological calming effect of artistic expression. Kaimal explains, "The study was conducted with the presence of an art therapist who offered support as needed, fostering an environment conducive to authentic self-expression. Participants were encouraged to focus on the creative process without fear of judgment or expectations, leading to a reduction in stress and anxiety." She emphasizes that this therapeutic approach can be easily replicated at home using basic materials, provided one approaches their artistic endeavors without imposing value judgments. Engaging with the arts can provide an array of effective interventions for addressing individual mental health concerns and the broader emotional landscape of society. They bolster psychological well-being by enhancing self-efficacy, coping mechanisms, and emotional regulation. Additionally, they positively impact physiological health by mitigating the stress hormone response, boosting immune function, and improving cardiovascular reactivity. These benefits merely scratch the surface of the transformative potential inherent in artistic engagement. Click here to read the full study: https://lnkd.in/erm_842p #artsandhealth #arttherapy #neuroart #neuroaesthetics