Neuroscience: Amateur Hour - Episode 7: The Neuroscience of Beautiful Things or Neuroaesthetics

Episode 7: The Neuroscience of Beautiful Things or Neuroaesthetics

02/03/22 • 9 min

How do we designate something, whether it's a painting, a sculpture, or a piece of music as beautiful? Where have our ideas of beauty arisen over the course of human evolution? How do we as individuals decide that something is beautiful to us compared to our neighbors? Dive into the gripping but controversial field of neuroaesthetics to learn a little bit more about the science behind beautiful things.
If you have any comments, questions, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at [email protected] or DM me at @NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram. Citations and relevant papers below:
Neuroaesthetics: Beauty is Only Brain Deep - Omniscience. MyScienceWork. Accessed January 31, 2022. https://www.mysciencework.com/omniscience/neuroaesthetics-beauty-is-only-brain-deep#:~:text=Those%20who%20oppose%20neuroaesthetics%20are

Diessner R. Magnificent Moral Beauty: The Trait of Engagement with Moral Beauty. Understanding the Beauty Appreciation Trait . Published online 2019:183-204. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-32333-2_7

‌Beauty and the Brain: The Emerging Field of Neuroaesthetics | Arts | The Harvard Crimson. Thecrimson.com. Published November 10, 2017. https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2017/11/10/neuroaesthetics-cover/

MBB 980N - Neuroaesthetics at Harvard University | Coursicle Harvard. www.coursicle.com. Accessed February 1, 2022. https://www.coursicle.com/harvard/courses/MBB/980N/

Xie J, Liu B, Elsadek M. How Can Flowers and Their Colors Promote Individuals’ Physiological and Psychological States during the COVID-19 Lockdown? International Journal of Environmental

Eckert J. Why we like flowers: the new psychology of bright colors (Part 1). Medium. Published July 3, 2021. Accessed February 1, 2022. https://psychologyofart.medium.com/why-do-we-like-flowers-on-the-origin-of-pretty-colors-f3ddd400d168

Castro J. How the Brain Responds to Beauty. Scientific American. Accessed February 1, 2022. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-the-brain-responds-to-beauty/#:~:text=So%20what%20part%20of%20our%20brain%20responds%20to%20beauty%3F&text=Brain%20scientists%20who%20favor%20the

Chuan-Peng H, Huang Y, Eickhoff SB, Peng K, Sui J. Seeking the “Beauty Center” in the Brain: A Meta-Analysis of fMRI Studies of Beautiful Human Faces and Visual Art. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience . 2020;20(6):1200-1215. doi:10.3758/s13415-020-00827-z

Lüttge U, Souza GM. The Golden Section and beauty in nature: The perfection of symmetry and the charm of asymmetry. Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology . 2019;146:98-103. doi:10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2018.12.008

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Diessner R. Magnificent Moral Beauty: The Trait of Engagement with Moral Beauty. Understanding the Beauty Appreciation Trait . Published online 2019:183-204. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-32333-2_7

MBB 980N - Neuroaesthetics at Harvard University | Coursicle Harvard. www.coursicle.com. Accessed February 1, 2022. https://www.coursicle.com/harvard/courses/MBB/980N/

Xie J, Liu B, Elsadek M. How Can Flowers and Their Colors Promote Individuals’ Physiological and Psychological States during the COVID-19 Lockdown? International Journal of Environmental

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Previous Episode

Episode 6: The Neuroscience of Magic Mushrooms

Today's episode journeys into the neuroscience behind magic mushrooms! Psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient, is known for making its users feel like their senses are mixing, their brains are dissociating, and the walls are melting? Does it all come down to cortical deactivation in the brain region responsible for encoding our sense of self? Come and listen to learn a little bit more about magic mushrooms effects, their huge potential as therapies for mental health disorders, and the potential consequences of their use.
If you have any comments, questions, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at [email protected] or DM me at @NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram. Citations below:
Hartney E. What to Know About Magic Mushroom Use. Verywell Mind. Published February 26, 2012.

Psilocybin (Magic Mushrooms) Uses, Effects & Hazards. Drugs.com. https://www.drugs.com/illicit/psilocybin.html.

Lowe H, Toyang N, Steele B, et al. The Therapeutic Potential of Psilocybin. Molecules . 2021;26(10):2948. doi:10.3390/molecules26102948

‌Aronson JK, ed. Psilocybin. ScienceDirect. Published January 1, 2016. Accessed January 26, 2022. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978044453717100158X

Drug Scheduling. www.dea.gov. https://www.dea.gov/drug-information/drug-scheduling#:~:text=Schedule%20I%20drugs%2C%20substances%2C%20or

Carhart-Harris RL, Erritzoe D, Williams T, et al. Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . 2012;109(6):2138-2143. doi:10.1073/pnas.1119598109

Bhagwagar Z, Hinz R, Taylor M, Fancy S, Cowen P, Grasby P. Increased 5-HT(2A) receptor binding in euthymic, medication-free patients recovered from depression: a positron emission study with [(11)C]MDL 100,907. The American Journal of Psychiatry . 2006;163(9):1580-1587. doi:10.1176/ajp.2006.163.9.1580

Psychedelic Treatment with Psilocybin Relieves Major Depression, Study Shows. Johns Hopkins Medicine Newsroom. Published November 4, 2020.

‌More promise for psilocybin in depression but safety remains a concern. Clinical Trials Arena. Published November 15, 2021.

Vollenweider FX, Vollenweider-Scherpenhuyzen MFI, Bäbler A, Vogel H, Hell D. Psilocybin induces schizophrenia-like psychosis in humans via a serotonin-2 agonist action. NeuroReport . 1998;9(17):3897-3902.

Mozhdehipanah H, Gorji R. Subarachnoid Hemorrhage as a Manifestation of Magic Mushroom Abuse: A Case Report and Review Literature. Journal of Vessels and Circulation . 2020;1(3):40-42. doi:10.52547/jvesselcirc.1.3.40

‌Hendricks PS, Johnson MW, Griffiths RR. Psilocybin, psychological distress, and suicidality. Journal of Psychopharmacology . 2015;29(9):1041-1043. doi:10.1177/0269881115598338

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration:

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800-662-HELP (4357)
TTY: 800-487-4889

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Next Episode

Episode 8: The Neuroscience of Sleep, Memory and Really Good Afternoon Naps

We spend a third of our lives sleeping and there is no greater enjoyment than a really good afternoon nap. Back in preschool, the good old days, naps were built into our daily schedules but as adults - not so much. But should they be? Is there any neurological benefit or detriment to taking a nap?
Tune in to learn a little bit more about the neuroscience behind sleep, memory, and naps!
Please rate, review, and subscribe and if you have any questions, comments, concerns, queries, or complaints, please email me at [email protected] or DM me at NeuroscienceAmateurHour on Instagram.
Citations and relevant papers below:
Cherry K. The 4 Stages of Sleep (NREM and REM Sleep Cycles). Verywell Health. Published June 16, 2007. https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-four-stages-of-sleep-2795920

The Haunting Effects Of Going Days Without Sleep. NPR.org . https://www.npr.org/2017/12/27/573739653/the-haunting-effects-of-going-days-without-sleep#:~:text=VEDANTAM%3A%20At%202%3A00%20in..

Alberini CM, Chen DY. Memory enhancement: consolidation, reconsolidation and insulin-like growth factor 2. Trends in Neurosciences . 2012;35(5):274-283. doi:10.1016/j.tins.2011.12.007

Walker MP, Stickgold R. Sleep-Dependent Learning and Memory Consolidation. Neuron . 2004;44(1):121-133. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2004.08.031

McKenzie S, Eichenbaum H. Consolidation and Reconsolidation: Two Lives of Memories? Neuron . 2011;71(2):224-233. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2011.06.037

Rasch B, Born J. About Sleep’s Role in Memory. Physiological Reviews . 2013;93(2):681-766. doi:10.1152/physrev.00032.2012

Walker MP. The role of slow wave sleep in memory processing. Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine . 2009;5(2 Suppl):S20-6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2824214/

Kumar D, Koyanagi I, Carrier-Ruiz A, et al. Sparse Activity of Hippocampal Adult-Born Neurons during REM Sleep Is Necessary for Memory Consolidation. Neuron . 2020;107(3):552-565.e10. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2020.05.008

Groch S, Wilhelm I, Diekelmann S, Born J. The role of REM sleep in the processing of emotional memories: Evidence from behavior and event-related potentials. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory . 2013;99:1-9. doi:10.1016/j.nlm.2012.10.006

Horváth K, Plunkett K. Spotlight on daytime napping during early childhood. Nature and Science of Sleep . 2018;Volume 10:97-104. doi:10.2147/nss.s126252

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