Review article

ARTS, BRAIN AND COGNITION

Vida Demarin orcid.org/0000-0003-4942-259X ; Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Zagreb, Croatia
Marina Roje Bedeković ; University Department of Neurology, University Hospital Centre
Marijana Bosnar Puretić orcid.org/0000-0002-3602-961X ; University Department of Neurology, University Hospital Centre
Marija Bošnjak Pašić ; Department of Neurology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Croatia; Faculty of Medicine, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia

Abstract

Art is a product of human creativity; it is a superior skill that can be learned by study, practice and observation. Modern
neuroscience and neuroimaging enable study of the processes during artistic performance. Creative people have less marked
hemispheric dominance. It was found that the right hemisphere is specialized for metaphoric thinking, playfulness, solution finding
and synthesizing, it is the center of visualization, imagination and conceptualization, but the left hemisphere is still needed for
artistic work to achieve balance. A specific functional organization of brain areas was found during visual art activities. Marked
hemispheric dominance and area specialization is also very prominent for music perception. Brain is capable of making new
connections, activating new pathways and unmasking secondary roads, it is “plastic”. Music is a strong stimulus for neuroplasticity.
fMRI studies have shown reorganization of motor and auditory cortex in professional musicians. Other studies showed the changes
in neurotransmitter and hormone serum levels in correlation to music. The most prominent connection between music and
enhancement of performance or changing of neuropsychological activity was shown by studies involving Mozart’s music from which
the theory of “The Mozart Effect” was derived. Results of numerous studies showed that listening to music can improve cognition,
motor skills and recovery after brain injury. In the field of visual art, brain lesion can lead to the visuospatial neglect, loss of details
and significant impairment of artistic work while the lesions affecting the left hemisphere reveal new artistic dimensions, disinhibit
the right hemisphere, work is more spontaneous and emotional with the gain of artistic quality. All kinds of arts (music, painting,
dancing...) stimulate the brain. They should be part of treatment processes. Work of many artists is an excellent example for the
interweaving the neurology and arts.

Keywords

arts; brain; creativity; music therapy; neuroplasticity

Hrčak ID:

177076

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/177076

Publication date:

12.12.2016.

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