Healing through Neuroaesthetics

Authored by: Derek Yang

Art by: Kain Wang

Improving mental and physical health is one of society’s top priorities, but achieving that is easier said than done. Experts are addressing this challenge by utilizing the concept of neuroaesthetics. Neuroaesthetics is the study of how the aesthetic features of the environment and its surrounding objects influence the brain, emotions, and overall well-being [1]. In simple terms, it examines how beauty through mediums like art, music, architecture, and nature can impact the mind and body.

In a study where participants had to classify paintings as beautiful, ugly, or neutral, there was significant neural activity detected in the orbitofrontal cortex and ventral striatum. The orbitofrontal cortex is located above the orbits of the eyes and is involved in upper level cognitive processes such as decision making and the perception of rewarding stimuli [2]. Similarly, when subjects were presented with subjectively preferred paintings, it was noted that there was an activation of the ventral striatum, which plays a major role in reward pathways of the brain [2]. The activation and subsequent release of dopamine of both of these major brain parts when exposed to pleasing aesthetics not only generate feelings of pleasure but also beneficial psychological effects—most significantly the reduction of stress. 

Stress ties into the fight or flight response of human behavior and can significantly impact medical outcomes by increasing heart rate and blood pressure, imperative factors that affect a patient’s recovery [3]. Short term visual exposure to nature can stimulate recovery from stress. A dental clinic study analyzed heart rate data of their patients and discovered that patients experienced less stress on days where there was a large nature mural displayed in the waiting room as opposed to days where no nature mural was displayed. In another study, gurney-bound patients experienced blood pressures 10 to 15 points less when viewing ceiling scenes of nature or water [2].

The Bar and Neta study in 2007 compared recovery outcomes of heart surgery patients who were either exposed to nature images or abstract images. It was determined that patients exposed to nature images experienced less post-operation stress and required less doses of pain medications [2]. Nature is a major component of the neuroaesthetic concept, as its natural components like sunlight, greenery, and wildlife stems back to the fundamental basis of human existence, promoting a sense of relaxation and destressing. 

In recent times, doctors in Canada and the United Kingdom have begun prescribing their patients museum visits and art activities, connecting these patients to aesthetic activities that could provide an alternative to medication and operational treatment [4]. However, neuroaesthetics can be applied far beyond just the healthcare industry. The Creative Forces: NEA Military Healing Arts Network is a national organization that incorporates creative arts therapists in a team approach to assist veterans in dealing with combat trauma and stress. In this program, veterans primarily engage in aesthetically pleasing activities such as writing, poetry, and art-making to stimulate the pleasure and joy that they were deprived of during their time serving [4]. Although art activities can trigger numerous types of physical or mental responses, they significantly stimulate healing as they improve cognitive functions, foster self-esteem and self-awareness, cultivate emotional resilience, enhance social skills, reduce and resolve conflicts and distress [5].

Neuroaesthetics brings together psychology, art, and medicine and reveals that aesthetics is more than something to look at and enjoy. By understanding how visual, auditory, and sensory stimuli affect certain responses within the brain, experts can design treatments and spaces that actively promote stress reduction and emotional well-being. As research in this field continues to grow, one striking message remains clear: aesthetics has the power to heal.

References

1. Pearce, M. T., Zaidel, D. W., Vartanian, O., Skov, M., Leder, H., Chatterjee, A., & Nadal, M. (2016). Neuroaesthetics: The Cognitive Neuroscience of Aesthetic Experience. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(2), 265-279. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691615621274 

2. Nanda U, Pati D, McCurry K. Neuroesthetics and Healthcare Design. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal. 2009;2(2):116-133. doi:10.1177/193758670900200210

3. Brindle RC, Ginty AT, Whittaker AC, Carroll D, Lucas SJE. Assessment of the cerebral pressure-flow relationship using psychological stress to manipulate blood pressure. Psychophysiology. 2018 Dec;55(12):e13265. doi: 10.1111/psyp.13265. 

4. Magsamen S. Your Brain on Art: The Case for Neuroaesthetics. Cerebrum. 2019 Jul 1;2019:cer-07-19. PMID: 32206171; PMCID: PMC7075503.

5. Oliva A, Iosa M, Antonucci G, De Bartolo D. Are neuroaesthetic principles applied in art therapy protocols for neurorehabilitation? A systematic mini-review. Front Psychol. 2023 Jun 12;14:1158304. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1158304.