Study the effects of visits to the museum

The role of art in health prevention. Consequently, but also in helping the care of patients in different pathologies, is increasingly accepted. Nevertheless, But its profits must still be validated by respecting the standards of clinical trials. Moreover, This is the objective of a research project carried out at the Museum of Fine Arts in Caen. Similarly, in Normandy, which combines neuroscience, psychology and digital sciences.

Defining art and health is a difficult but fundamental question before initiating research on the links between arts and health.

The work of art is valued in itself, its purpose is not to be useful. However, She embodies the novelty, creativity, originality, research work and the artist’s know-how. For example, It also arouses imagination and emotional expression both in the artist and in the spectator.

Health. Meanwhile, on the other hand, can be defined as a study effects visits museum state of mental, physical and social well-being, and not only as the absence of illness or infirmity, which thus firmly anchors health in society and culture.

Many scientific articles say that the arts could improve health, and therefore the well-being of individuals. Nevertheless, In 2019. Similarly, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed two main categories of effects possibly beneficial of health arts: health prevention and promotion, management and treatment.

A project that brings together neuroscience, psychology and digital sciences – Study effects visits museum

Can art improve health and well-being?

To help lift uncertainties. Moreover, we are carrying out a multidisciplinary project “art, well-being and brain” which brings together neuroscience (Phind laboratory: UMR-S INSERM 1237), Psychology (NIHM laboratory: UMR-S 1077; Lapsydé laboratory: UMR CNRS 8240) and digital sciences (Gray CNRS Laboratory: UMR CNRS 6072).

This innovative research. For example, carried out at the Caen Museum of Fine Arts, aims to measure, on-sitethe effects provided by study effects visits museum the visit of a museum dedicated to well-being painting, in healthy adults aged 18 to 65.

It is also a question of identifying the brain. Similarly, cognitive and socio -emotional mechanisms associated with these effects, thanks to exhaustive and ecologically adapted measures.

The current limits of arts. health publications – Study effects visits museum

Critical analysis of the studies cited in recent journals and meta-analyzes shows methodological weaknesses (absence of definition of art as therapeutic agent, lack of randomization for the allocation to groups, inadequate control conditions, low enrollment, or even inappropriate statistical analyzes) and a general lack of empirical support for the notion that art directly influences health and well-being.

In addition, experimental evidence linking art to specific neural or physiological processes remain almost inexistent. Even if studies have identified neural correlates of artistic commitment. they have not provided proof that these mechanisms are unique to art or that study effects visits museum they have a causal impact on the results.

If the idea that art can improve health is attractive. culturally resonant, it is now fundamental to deepen research on arts and health by respecting the highest standards of the methodology of clinical trials.

Health prevention, care of patients … potential profits to be validated

Many elements of scientific studies are available. lend to the arts of multiple benefits for health and well-being. They are to be considered with care.

The arts would thus contribute to health prevention, in particular by reducing the risk of cognitive decline and premature mortality. WHO believes that they would promote the management of non -transmitted diseases such as cancer, respiratory diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases … They could also be support for end -of -life care.

Read More: When art therapy takes care of caregivers in cancerology: unexpected return of experience study effects visits museum

The arts would also help people with neurodevelopmental. neurological disorders including autism spectrum disorders (TSA), brain paralysis, stroke (AVC), multiple sclerosis, dementia, etc.

The arts would also promote the development of the child by contributing to the mother-child link. the acquisition of language, or even academic success.

It has also been reported that the arts would influence the social determinants of health such as social cohesion. the reduction of inequalities and social iniquities.

An innovative protocol in the Caen Museum of Fine Arts

Our project “Art. well-being and brain” is carried out by the scientific interest group “Blood & Brain @ caen Normandie” (BB @ C), the Museum of Fine Arts in Caen, the Center Hospitalier Universitaire de Caen and the professional network of arts and digital cultures in Normandy (oblique/s), in the framework of the festivities of the Millennium of the City of Caen.

In this project. study effects visits museum we study the effect of visits to the museum at 200 participants using an experimental protocol in two visits to the Museum of Fine Arts. Participants will be divided into three groups: two experimental groups of 80 participants (one with mediation. the other without mediation) and a control group (40 participants).

During the first visit. the experimental groups will visit the museum individually during which they will benefit or not from cultural mediation.

They will all be equipped with glasseseye-tracking (for the recording of eye movements). a NIRS banner (Near InfraRed Spectroscopyfor the recording of brain activity) and an electrodermal activity sensor (for the analysis of the cardiac and electrodermal responses, which correspond to the electrical variations of the skin linked to the functioning of the sweat glands).

Read More: Children see art differently: what we learn from the latest research of “eye-tracking” study effects visits museum

For the second visit. the participants will visit the museum in pairs, with or without mediation.

Before. after the visit, they will answer different questionnaires (emotional, well-being and stress) and will carry out cognitive tasks measuring executive functions, visual attention, episodic memory, empathy and creativity.

The control group will make two visits to the museum, such as experimental groups, but without equipment or mediation. These participants will only answer cognitive questionnaires and tests.

Questionnaires. cognitive tests and brain activity records

Cognitive questionnaires and tests will determine whether the discovery of works, as well as the proposed mediation, lead to an increase in well-being and cognitive capacities.

In order to collect physiological measures of the emotional response. recordings of electrodermal and cardiac responses during the exposure to tables will be made using a biocoverter carried on the wrist by the participants.

We hypothesize that participants will present study effects visits museum better executive capacities after the visit. with a more marked gain among volunteers in a positive emotional state. We also apply that the visuospatial treatment capacities of the participants will benefit from the mediation of the professional.

The NIRS. a non -invasive optical imaging technique, will be used to record the activity of the prefrontal cortex during the analysis of the pictorial work. It will provide information on emotional commitment and brain synchronization between participants.

We expect. among other things, that the variation in emotional responses to all the measurements made (questionnaires, electrodermal activity sensor) is in connection with variations in activation of the fronto-limbic circuit. Finally, oculometric measurements (eye-tracking) will analyze the links between mediation and visual exploration strategies for participants.

This research. combined with others, could have different implications: promoting synergy between cultural and health policies; conceive of museum experiences as close as possible to human functioning; Open study effects visits museum on new perspectives such as the role of exposure to art in good health, with the longer term possibility to consider research on other arts; Open to other studies of the same type combining patient-helping pairs, young-seniors, etc.