A Case for Neuroaesthetics: How Our Brain Perceives Aesthetic Experiences

By Annie Chen, Biochemistry, 2021

Aesthetic experiences permeate our daily lives by enriching our experiences and thereby creating a more fulfilling life. Some of us choose to paint, some choose to dance, while others choose to listen to music. The interesting question of how our brain perceives and judges art and aesthetic experiences paved the way for “neuroaesthetics”: the intersectional study of the brain and art.3

Although aesthetic objects themselves do not directly confer value for survival, they are an essential part of human culture.4 Art is an evolutionary imperative. Through the reward, pleasure, and fear circuitry in the brain, art helps us communicate and connect with others, which is crucial for our survival as species.3 There are two views of the aesthetic experience: universality and subjectivity.4 The universality view communicates that there is a wide agreement among individuals on the aesthetic value of objects. However, art is highly subjective and is susceptible to cultural norms and exposure.4 Notably, the universal and subjective views are not mutually exclusive— subjective judgment can be consistent enough among a wide audience of individuals that it becomes universal.4

The neural networks underlying our aesthetic reactions are conserved among individuals, with the artworks that elicit the most “moving” responses leading to the activation of the default mode network (DMN) and, specifically, the anterior medial prefrontal cortex (aMPFC).4 The DMN is an interconnected group of brain structures that is active when a person is quietly resting or daydreaming, including but not limited to: the medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, and inferior parietal lobule.1,2 It is now understood that the DMN is also linked to social understandings of others, such as empathy, morality, and sense of meaning.2 For aesthetic experiences, the activation of the default mode network allows us to feel what the artist was feeling and elicits sensory and emotional reactions that are personally relevant.3,4 The benefits of aesthetic experiences are farreaching—from healing trauma with art therapy for veterans and service members to improving quality of life through dance for individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD).3

Photo courtesy of M. Dingman, Know Your Brain.

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes progressive muscle slowness, shuffling gait, and balance problems. This progressive decrease in mobility also directly impacts the individual’s mental state. However, with the possibility of dance through programs like Dance for PD, individuals with Parkinson’s disease can experience physical, emotional, and social benefits.3

There is significant potential for art to heal and empower. Indeed, research has shown that experiencing or creating art spurs a dynamic interaction between brain cells.3 In many ways, art and aesthetic expressions hold the key to solving prevalent issues, including stress and depression, and their benefits can help us create a more fulfilling life.3

[1] Dingman, M. (2015, June 17). Know Your Brain: Default Mode Network. Retrieved January 31, 2021.

[2] Li, W., Mai, X., & Liu, C. (2014). The default mode network and social understanding of others: what do brain connectivity studies tell us. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 8, 74.

[3] Magsamen S. (2019). Your Brain on Art: The Case for Neuroaesthetics. Cerebrum: the Dana forum on brain science, 2019, cer-07-19.

[4] Vessel, E.A., Starr, G. G., & Rubin, N. (2012). The brain on art: intense aesthetic experience activates the default mode network. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 6, 66.