2019 PROGRESS REPORT International Arts + Mind Lab (IAM Lab) is a FROM THE EXECUTIVE multidisciplinary research-to-practice initiative from the Brain Science Institute at Johns Hopkins DIRECTOR University that is accelerating the field of neuroaesthetics in health, wellbeing, and learning. Formally established in 2016, IAM Lab traces Dear Friends, its roots to the seminal 2010 Science of the Arts We were finalizing this report just launch of our Dialog Series, and the early seeds of conference hosted by the Brain Science Institute. as the COVID-19 pandemic turned our multi-year NeuroArts Blueprint in collaboration our world upside down. Now, with the Aspen Institute. 2019 seems like a lifetime ago, This report is dedicated to the late John Paul Today, in the wake of the pandemic and growing but the work of IAM Lab has never social justice movement, we’ve shifted our efforts Eberhard, our advisor and friend. been more relevant. In this public to be responsive to the immediate needs of our health crisis, people are gravitating to the arts in community. IAM Lab recently launched a field guide every form to cope and connect. And now research is IAM Lab is working to build the field of applied THE ARTS & AESTHETIC EXPERIENCES to the neuroarts during COVID-19, our ongoing proving what we’ve always known intuitively—the arts neuroaesthetics (neuroarts as shorthand). We series of art ideas to support public health and simple are essential to our health and happiness. define applied neuroaesthetics as the scientific explanations of the science behind them. study of how the brain and body respond to Scientific knowledge about how the arts can be Alongside this dedicated response, we will continue the arts and aesthetic experiences to improve used to promote health, wellbeing, and learning is to advance our strategic priorities in translational biological, psychological, social/cultural or accumulating rapidly. This is a time of radical possibili- research, education and outreach, and community spiritual outcomes for individuals or populations. ties, and the potential applications of that knowledge VISUAL ARTS LITERARY ARTS PERFORMING building in 2020 and beyond. There’s much work to Applied neuroaesthetics includes and extends are countless. A robust body of evidence is emerging ARTS do to elevate the role of the arts in health, wellbeing, beyond empirical aesthetics. that demonstrates that arts of all kinds can improve and learning. We are committed to establishing IAM mobility, memory, and speech; relieve pain and the Lab as a hub for this vibrant community by sharing When we use the term “the arts and aesthetic after-effects of trauma; enhance mental health and what we are learning and continually lifting up the experiences,” we acknowledge the full spectrum learning outcomes; build resilience and prevent work of others. of sensory, perceptual, or expressive experiences, disease; and so much more. Beyond their value for including Visual Arts, Literary Arts, Performing individuals, we see tremendous potential for arts We are excited to do this work as the International Arts, Music, Dance & Movement, Media Arts, MUSIC DANCE & MEDIA ARTS interventions to engage stakeholders collectively in Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics Traditional Handcrafts, Architecture & Design, MOVEMENT pursuit of more equitable and resilient communities. at the Brain Science Institute at the Johns Hopkins Natural Environments, and Cultural Experiences. School of Medicine. Hopkins has always been In service of that value and potential, IAM Lab a pioneer of new scientific enterprises, and we continued its work in 2019 to help coalesce the field are proud to be part of this tradition through our of neuroaesthetics—particularly applied neuroaes- transdisciplinary research and field-building. thetics—by beginning to create shared language and a consensus framework for the field through Thank you for your partnership and support in TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE NATURAL new partnerships across sectors. At its core, IAM Lab 2019. We will get through this unprecedented time HANDCRAFTS & DESIGN ENVIRONMENTS is a collaboration. Our team partners with talented together and look forward to continuing this vital researchers, clinicians, artists, and thinkers from work in 2020. around the world to design, fund, and implement Be safe and stay well, research. Highlights from 2019 include our partnership with Google on a demonstration project in Milan, new Art by Kieu Thi Kim Cuong, Sergey Demushkin, CULTURAL Flatart, Andrejs Kirma, Mat fine, Made by Made, research projects in music and digital media, the Susan Magsamen, EXPERIENCES Monkik, Parkjisun, Priyanka Executive Director, IAM Lab 2019 PROGRESS REPORT • FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECtor 3 TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH developed Impact Thinking, Using this approach as an organizing mechanism, we IAM Lab a translational research are facilitating enhanced collaboration and standard- approach that applies rigorous, evidence-based ization among researchers and practitioners and research methods to arts, architecture, and music inter- building a pipeline of evidence for applied neuroaes- ventions. A nine-step model, Impact Thinking begins thetics. Dr. Marilyn Albert, Professor of Neurology by engaging a broad and multi-disciplinary team of at JHU and IAM Lab Scientific Director, provides experts to identify a problem and review existing guidance across IAM Lab’s research portfolio along research and practice models to inform a hypothesized with our newly formed scientific advisory board of solution. After designing and conducting a study, engag- distinguished experts. We are pleased to announce ing a range of research methodologies, the process the addition of Dr. Tasha Golden to our team as continues with analysis, dissemination, scaling, and Senior Arts in Health Research Scientist. Dr. Golden impact evaluation strategies. is a public health researcher who oversees IAM Lab’s research projects. Under her leadership and in partnership with many outstanding researchers, our Impact Thinking portfolio is growing and diversifying. Impact Thinking A translational research approach to enhance human potential in health, wellbeing, and learning through the arts 3 HYPOTHESIS 2 COLLABORATIVE DISCOVERY EVALUATION 9 4 RESEARCH DESIGN 1 PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION 5 RESEARCH DISSEMINATION 8 IMPLEMENTATION & SCALING 6 ANALYSIS 7 REFINE–RETEST– RECOMMEND 4 2019 PROGRESS REPORT • TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH 5 MUSIC TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH TRANSLATIONAL GUITAR FOR PARKINSON’S MUSIC AND THE BRAIN SOUND RESONANCE DISEASE (GUITAR PD) Music and the Brain is a groundbreaking think tank In partnership with the Polytechnic Institute of Milan, In collaboration with IAM Lab, the Johns Hopkins envisioned by One Mind President Brandon Staglin and this pilot study uses perceived measures (Geneva Center for Music and Medicine conducted a pioneer- established as part of the organization’s Applications Emotional Music Scales-9) and biological measures ing pilot study of the benefits of guitar lessons for Serious Psychiatric Recovery (ASPIRe) initiative. (body temperature, heart rate variability, and skin for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Led by Co-chaired by Susan Magsamen and Dr. Eric Nestler, conductance) to determine the effects of live and Co-Principal Investigators Dr. Alexander Pantelyat, M.D., Music and the Brain draws upon numerous recorded sacred music on listeners. Led by Dr. Augusto M.D., and Dr. Serap Bastepe-Gray, M.D., Guitar PD studies demonstrating that performing or listening to Sarti, researchers found large variability between builds on a base of research on music therapy for music can positively affect mental health. Music and the participants’ emotional responses to different pieces Parkinson’s disease that includes listening to music, Brain expands and complements NIH’s Sound Health of music. The study continues to examine the differ- singing, dancing. and playing instruments, but it initiative by consolidating and advancing the evidence ences between responses to live and recorded music. breaks new ground by using guitar lessons as an related to music’s role in the prevention and treatment intervention for PD. The study is complete, and the of severe mental illness. Led by IAM Lab’s Dr. Tasha manuscript is being prepared for submission to an Golden, the project’s first deliverable is a broad inter- academic journal. national scoping review of the literature regarding uses of music in the treatment of serious mental illness, “Our vision for the future is that music teachers and including schizophrenia, major depressive disorder music therapists across the world will be trained and (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), bipolar certified in a standardized therapeutic guitar lesson disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), to program for PD patients,” Pantelyat said. “This certi- inform the development of pilot studies of the same. fication would include research-based methods for applying guitar technique therapeutically, training on the challenges this population faces, and techniques to effectively work with those challenges. Our hope is that this study, in combination with future study find- ings, will help shape and spur program development.” PHOTO BY DALE KEIGER DALE BY PHOTO 6 2019 PROGRESS REPORT • TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH 7 ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH TRANSLATIONAL KENNEDY KRIEGER CHILD FRIENDLY CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENTS SENSORY CARE ROOM DIGITAL MEDIA To expand and improve the use of art