what are benefits of expression?
- reduced stress
- elevated mood
- improved cognition
- greater enjoyment
- enhanced empathy
what are benefits of appreciation?
- reduced anxiety
- elevated mood
- greater productivity
- improved theory-of-mind
what are the physiological responses to music?
- uniform emphasis reduces blood pressure (parasympathetic)
- crescendos increase blood pressure (sympathetic)(exciting)
what brain parts are positively and negatively associated with pleasure from music?
pleasure positively correlated
- nucleus accumbens: reward reinforcement
- insula: process signals from bodily organs based on emotions
- ACC: attention
pleasure negatively correlated
- amygdala: felt more safe/calm
- ventromedial PFC: decreased emotional regulation since amygdala is already calm
do endorphins play a role in music?
- yes because midbrain region is activated
- midbrain is where endorphins are produced
- blocking endorphins with naloxone reduces thrills and chills from music
what does relaxing music do?
- increased relaxation and reduced cortisol levels
increased oxytocin (trust/love)
what parts of the brain are activated when looking at visual art?
nucleus accumbens: rewarding/motivating
orbitofrontal cortex: emotional processing, habits, rewards
in patients recovering from stroke adding art therapy to physical therapy, what were the benefits?
- improved physical function
- decreased depression
- better quality of life
- less pain symptoms
what are the brain associations with awe?
- striatum: habits
practicing good mindful habits - lateral PFC: imagination
- hippocampus
going to same relaxing spot/relating to past experineces
what is the flow state?
a balance between challenges and abilities where one finds peak fulfillment
what are some elements of flow?
- clear goals every step of the way
- actions and awareness are merged
- distractions are excluded from consciousness
- no worry of failure
- self-consciousness disappears
- sense of tine gets distorted
- activity becomes autotelic (done for it’s own sake)
