Art lovers agree that the arts are necessary and important. But why? What is it about art--specifically visual art--that makes it so? Neuroscientists have been working on the idea for a number of years. A study published in the online journal PLOS One indicates that making visual art increases the neural connections in a large network of the brain, the default mode network, which is involved in thought of oneself and of others, but also conceptual things like time, task details, daydreaming, story comprehension and more. The increase in neural connections was demonstrated using magnetic resnonance images. Those increased connections seemed to occur in subjects who were making visual art, not simply observing it. The study was quite small and so far has not been expanded or repeated.
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| "In the Rose Garden," watercolor on paper, 2021 |
The default mode network has been hypothesized to be relevant to disorders that include Alzheimer's, autism, schizophrenia, major depression, and PTSD, among a number of others. Although it isn't clear if increased connections are a good thing, it's also known that in autism and certain other ailments those connections are few.
The lesson from this small study is pretty clear. Making visual art can be a way to increase connections in the brain. Those increased connections may be important to improve certain mental conditions. So it seems clear that making art, simply to be making it, may be one of the healthier activities you can pursue.
Make more art!
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