Your brain on art

One of my birthday gifts was the book, Art Cure: the science of how the arts save lives by Daisy Fancourt. If you are interested in the arts and also interested in reading about various brain studies, then this book is for you. I will admit, that it is kind of preaching to the choir for me, but it is nice to have it all in one place. Really, I can sum the entire book up into one sentence: Participating in the arts is good for you in terms of physical, intellectual, and emotional health... plus, get some exercise. 

To give you a taste of what's in the book, read this exerpt.

"What, then, makes some people more resistant to the symptoms of dementia, despite physical evidence of changes in their brains? And why do some people experience gradual decline in their cognition with dementia, like walking down a gentle slope, while others are seemingly fine and then have a rapid decline, like falling off a cliff?

The answers lie in the concept of reserve. Reserve comes in two forms: hardward and software. 'Brain reserve' (the hardware) refers to the underlying structures that make some brains especially resilient. Some people happen to have bigger brains than others from birth. Essentially, big brains with more neurons and synapses have more brain tissue to lose before cognitive decline ensues. But even smaller brains can have good resilience against dementia. This is thought to be because of their 'cognitive reserve' (the software). Brains with more cognitive reserve are more adaptable -- they work more efficiently, have greater capacity, and can be more flexible. These brains might not look different from the outside, but they are better able to cope with brain changes and damage. They can compensate better, for longer, even if severe problems are accumulating...

With the potential for a longer time free from the ravages of dementia, it's not surprising that the search for drugs to boost cognitive reserve is one of the most intense in the pharmaceutical industry. But to date, this search has not been successful. In fact, what seems more effective for building our cognitive reserve is doing much simpler things in our day-to-day lives. One of these is exercise. But the other types of activities that are also being increasingly recommended are cognitive leisure activities. 

'Cognitive leisure' is a bit of a catch-all. Volunteering, being part of community groups, socializing, doing puzzles, and learning new skills are all included, but so are many different types of arts activities, such as doing crafts, reading, learning musical instruments, and engaging in cultural pursuits.  ...  The reduction is significant: around 31 percent for developing cognitive impairment, 23 percent for all-cause dementia, and 34 percent for Alzheimer's disease. The saying is true - use it or lose it." (pp 95-96)

The term 'cognitive leisure' and all it entails pretty much sums up nearly all of my free time, so I am totally embracing the positive long-term statistics because of it. Go make things. Learn new things. Take walks, Interact with other people. Your brain will thank you. 

And then maybe you, too, will find yourself hand sewing 1000 fabric hexagons together.