Week 7: Neurosci + Art


The topic of neuroscience greatly interests me, reflected in my involvement in Alzheimer’s advocacy and a stroke research lab. In fact, the building where I conduct this research, Neuroscience Research Building at UCLA, illustrates the great interest in understanding the intricacies of the brain. 
Neuroscience Research Building at UCLA
(UCLA Brain Mapping Center <http://www.bmap.ucla.edu>)
From this week’s lecture, it was amazing to see the merging of neuroscience and art with Brainbow. This image strongly reflects my lab’s research where we look at brain cell and vessel growth after hydrogel transplantation post-stroke.

Stained brain section (Nih, Lina Ratiba, Stanley Thomas Carmichael, and Tatiana Segura. "Hydrogels for Brain Repair after Stroke: An Emerging Treatment Option." Current Opinion in Biotechnology 40 (2016): 155-63. PubMed. Web.)

Brainbow Image
 (Harvard Center for Brain Science <http://cbs.fas.harvard.edu/science/connectome-project/brainbow#>)

However, this week’s lectures and readings also portray the current limitations that exist in the neuroscience field and depict the importance of incorporating art in understanding the brain. Dreams, creativity, intelligence, consciousness, and identity are such complex ideas that continue to perplex scientists. Art is needed to mend this gap. In fact, philosophers, instead of strict neuroscientists, were actually the first to develop strong theories on dreams as Dr. Vesna mentions (ex. Freud and Jung).

Sigmund Freud
(Wikipedia)
In his book Art, Mind, And Brain: A Cognitive Approach to Creativity,

Howard Gardner discusses some of the limitations with current academic practices in understanding the brain, stating how some prominent developmental psychologists often ignore the impact of social, moral, personality, or emotional development. He elaborates this importance, to incorporate a variety of factors in to the human brain, with the concept of intelligence. His theory of multiple intelligences breaks down the traditional idea that intelligence is rooted in one general ability, but instead can integrate and consist of different modalities. He appreciates artistic and naturalistic ways of intelligence, unlike many strict scientists.
Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences
(Funders and Founders infographic <http://fundersandfounders.com/9-types-of-intelligence/>)

Alva Noe explores additional limitations in neuroscience practiced today. She explains how neuroscience “has yet to frame anything like an adequate biological or “naturalistic” account of human experience – of thought, perception, or consciousness.” Giovanni Frazzetto and Suzanne Anker’s article Neuroculture focus in on this issue with the concept of brain and identity, “highlighting a human being’s individuality and history…cannot be reduced to a single organ.” As a society, we must expand our research from just breaking down the brain into singular cells. Articles like these, which draw upon works of artists who derive their own insights from the brain and challenge traditional “neuroscience”, can get us one step closer in truly understanding the complexity of the brain.

References:

Frazzetto, Giovanni, and Suzanne Anker. "Neuroculture." Nature Reviews | Neuroscience10.11 (2009): 815-21. Nature. Web. 20 May 2017.

Gardner, Howard. Art, Mind, And Brain: A Cognitive Approach To Creativity. New York: Basic, 2008. Google Books. Web. 19 May 2017.

Noe, Alva. "Art and the Limits of Neuroscience." The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 4 Dec. 2011. Web. 19 May 2017.

 UC Online Program. “Neuroscience pt-1.mov.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 17 May 2012. Web. 19 May 2017.

UC Online Program. “Neuroscience pt-2.mov.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 17 May 2012. Web. 19 May 2017.

Comments

  1. UnknownMay 22, 2017 at 11:07 AM

    Hi Ragini,

    I enjoyed reading your post this week and thought it was well written! I liked how you brought in your own experience in a research lab that does neuroscience-related work, and posted images that you had created in lab - it's crazy how we can take for granted that even the simple things can be considered art. I also enjoyed your discussion about artists, not neuroscientists, were the first ones to propose theories about dreams, showing how art can be used to bridge the gap.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Erin GongMay 22, 2017 at 3:47 PM

    Hi Ragini,

    I appreciate the fact that you provided a succinct and clear summary of the works of Gardner, Noe, and Giovanni and Anker, and overall I find your blog really well written.

    I also enjoyed reading how you have incorporated your personal experience at the stroke research lab into this blog. It is interesting to see that you compared the "Brainbow project" from the lecture with the hydrogel transplantation, which is another perfect demonstration of the merging of neuroscience and art.

    ReplyDelete

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