Week 7 - Neuroscience + Art

DESMA BLOG – WEEK 7
Neuroscience + Art
As a student athlete, I adhere to a fairly strict workout schedule.  Because I’m so physically active throughout the day, I am a deep sleeper and I believe that I dream a lot while I sleep.  I also do yoga and meditate as part of my exercise routine.  I have been curious about neuroscience and how our mind and body interact.  Is it possible to train our brains to alleviate pain?  Can we dictate the outcomes of our dreams while we are dreaming?  According to Mark Wheeler in his article, “How to Build a Bigger Brain”, he states that meditating helps to focus better, strengthen the immune system, and create more control over emotions.  MRI scans of the brain have shown that people who meditate have larger gray matter in their brain.  Additional studies need to be done to determine if regular meditators are developing a specific “wiring” pattern that is creating these differences when compared to non-meditators.    
Meditating reduces stress levels and bolsters the immune system.


Freud, Jung, and Gall have all been instrumental in helping us better understand our brain, behaviors, nervous system and consciousness.  Ramon y Cajal discovered patterns of neurons by their tree-like shapes and he referred to these neurons as the “butterflies of the soul”.   Cajal’s drawings of his discoveries epitomize the concept of his being a scientist and an artist as his left brain and right brain merge together.  
Drawing of neurons by Ramon y Cajal   
Sleeping and dreaming have been studied and misunderstood for centuries.  Per Victoria Vesna’s lecture, people forget 95% of their dreams.  Only until recent technological advancements via MRIs and other brain scanning techniques in neuroscience, have sleep and dream studies begun to evolve.  It would be useful to know the purpose of our dreams as well as the content of them.  As the lines of neuroscience and art continue to blur, creative scientists combined with their vivid imaginations and artistry have a wonderful opportunity to explore the ever-changing world of dreams.   
We forget 95% of our dreams.

Sources
Calhoun, Adam J. "Neuroecology." Neuroecology. Neuroecology, 9 Mar. 2014. Web.
17 May 2017.
DeCharms, Christopher. "Christopher DeCharms." Speaker | TED.com. TED Talk, Feb.
2008. Web. 17 May 2017. 
Max, D. T. "Swann’s Hypothesis." The New York Times. The New York Times, 03 Nov.
2007. Web. 17 May 2017. 
Miller, Greg. "How Our Brains Make Memories." Smithsonian.com. Smithsonian Institution, 01 May 2010. Web. 17 May 2017. 
Milligan, Megan. "How Meditation Can Help Relieve Stress." Odyssey. Odyssey, 03 Oct.
2016. Web. 17 May 2017. 
Ramachandran, V. S. "3 Clues to Understanding Your Brain." VS Ramachandran: 3
Clues to Understanding Your Brain | TED Talk | TED.com. TED Talk, Mar. 2007.
Web. 17 May 2017. 
Vesna, Victoria.  Narr. “Neuroscience + Art Lectures I-IV.”  N.p., . web. May 2012
Wheeler, Mark. "How to Build a Bigger Brain." UCLA Newsroom. N.p., 12 May 2009.
Web. 17 May 2017. 
WikiHow. "How to Control Your Dreams." WikiHow. WikiHow, 17 May 2017. Web.
17 May 2017.

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