by Lucile Arcourt and Laury Muret
The article Universal connection through art: Role of mirror neurons in art production and reception (Piechowski-Jozwiak et al., 2017) addresses the issue of art by focusing on the neurological mechanisms involved in the production and reception (in terms of perception and appreciation) of art.
The authors initiate the link between art and biology by starting from the idea that humans, since the prehistoric age, have practiced art. On the production side, the same symbols are used to communicate in very different geographical areas and times. On the reception side, these symbols are interpreted in the same way.
This use of similar means to communicate across centuries and cultures suggests the existence of an explanation in terms of brain mechanisms.
Moreover, the practice of art, far from disappearing over the centuries, has developed and diversified. However, according to the theory of evolution, the functions and the reactions of the brain must be explained by a biological gain. According to this conception, the perception of aestheticism, which is present from the beginning of development, could be partly explained on the biological level.
Thus, the authors mention the potential role of mirror neurons in the reactions of viewers in front of artistic work. Gallese et al. (1996) designate by mirror neurons the fact that, following the observation of the realization of an action by someone, we activate in ourselves the same cerebral networks as those involved in the performed action. In other words, the observation of a motor activity, without actually doing it, leads to the activation of motor cortical areas. Researchers have even found that this activation can be based on the perception of the intentionality of a possible movement in the other person, without it being carried out yet.
The mechanism of mirror neurons has also been demonstrated in the field of emotions, and could be part of the reason why humans are able to share and receive the feelings of others, in life and also in the perception of art. Thus, humans, notably through the activation of the insula, are able to feel disgust and pain empathy when perceiving people showing disgust/pain.
Even more applied to art, fronto-parietal structures, i.e. motor and perceptive areas, are activated at the sight of paintings including a body dimension. Keysers et al. (2004) used the term tactile or bodily empathy. Movements, through static images (paintings), are perceived and a neuronal activation corresponding to the movement is activated in us.
The authors are referring to Freedberg and Gallese (2007) hypothesis in order to link the mirror neurons mechanisms previously described and the empathic response to art. Their theory of empathic response to art proposes that the empathic feelings triggered by a shared state thanks to mirroring circuits are linked to the artwork content’s but also to the production technique of art.
At the end of the article, the authors report several studies using functional imaging to investigate neural activation during the perception of different types of painting (portrait, landscape,abstract composition). It has been shown that cortical activation, in the orbitofrontal area, is not the same depending on whether painting was considered as beautiful or ugly. Another study distinguished different activation areas according to whether participant’s appreciation of beauty were subjective or objective. This study revealed that subjective beauty perception is related to amygdala activation. Not so surprising, knowing that the amygdala is considered to be the center of emotionnel brain.
In order to understand the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning art perception and production, the authors also investigate the role of neurotransmitters. Studies have attempted to identify a neurotransmitter that can be directly linked to creative thinking and behavior. Dopamine is for now the neurotransmitter that seems to be most related to those abilities. However, the link between creativity and neurotransmitter mechanisms remains unclear.
At the end the authors highlight the idea that neurobiological mechanisms enable the artist and the viewer to connect. In particular mirror neurons seems to play a major role in the universal aspect of art and its social purpose.
The authors point out the interest of art therapy for mental health. Indeed it has been shown that art therapy can be effective in reducing some symptoms in depression, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Also art can be a very useful tool in particular with children. In psychotherapy art can be used as a medium, i.e. as an intermediary to express things that are not accessible directly with langage.
Word we have learnt :
handedness = préférence manuelle (être gaucher ou droitier)
to broach = aborder (une discussion/un sujet)
to convey (something) = exprimer, transmettre, faire part de
to encompass = inclure
to weep = pleurer
References
Hu, J., Zhang, J., Hu, L., Yu, H., & Xu, J. (2021). Art Therapy: A Complementary Treatment for Mental Disorders. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 686005. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.686005
Piechowski-Jozwiak, B., Boller, F., & Bogousslavsky, J. (2017). Universal connection through art: Role of mirror neurons in art production and reception. Behavioral Sciences, 7(2), 29. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs7020029