Sinapsis - Episodio 5: Danza y cerebro

Summary

El video explora la conexión entre la danza y el cerebro desde una perspectiva neurocientífica. A través de la historia, la danza ha sido una forma de expresión humana que combina el movimiento corporal, el sonido y el tiempo. El video explica cómo el cerebro coordina los movimientos necesarios para una coreografía, involucrando áreas motoras y sistemas como la propiocepción, el cerebelo y la corteza límbica. Además, destaca estudios sobre la plasticidad cerebral en bailarines y el impacto terapéutico de la danza en enfermedades como Alzheimer y diabetes, subrayando su poder social, emocional y artístico.

Takeaways

• 💃 La danza ha sido un medio de comunicación antes de la existencia del lenguaje verbal.
• 🧠 La ciencia cognitiva ha investigado cómo el cerebro de los bailarines cambia y se adapta con la práctica.
• 👁️ La propriocepción, la capacidad de percibir la posición del cuerpo, es crucial para bailar.
• 🕺 Las neuronas espejo en la corteza premotora se activan cuando observamos a otros bailarines.
• 🎶 La danza implica una coordinación compleja entre el equilibrio, la conciencia espacial y el ritmo.
• 🦜 La capacidad de bailar no es única en los humanos, como lo demostró el famoso loro bailarín Snowball.
• 🎥 Observar videos de danza activa redes cerebrales que ayudan en el aprendizaje de movimientos.
• ⚡ La plasticidad cerebral permite que el cerebro de los bailarines mejore su función a través de la práctica.
• 🎓 Estudios recientes buscan explorar el potencial terapéutico de la danza en enfermedades como el Alzheimer.
• ✨ La danza combina elementos de expresión emocional, entrenamiento físico y sincronización social.

Q & A

¿Qué medio utilizaban los seres humanos para comunicarse antes del lenguaje verbal?

Antes del lenguaje verbal, los seres humanos se comunicaban mediante movimientos corporales, expresando sentimientos y estados de ánimo a través de gestos y movimientos.

Según Nietzsche, ¿qué ocurre cuando una persona baila?

Según Nietzsche, cuando una persona baila, se expresa como miembro de una comunidad superior, olvidando cómo caminar y hablar. Al bailar, deja de ser un artista y se convierte en una obra de arte.

¿Qué se necesita para que el cerebro pueda planificar y coordinar movimientos en el baile?

Para planificar y coordinar movimientos en el baile, el cerebro necesita la interacción de la corteza motora primaria, la corteza premotora y el área motora suplementaria, además de recibir información sobre la posición del cuerpo y el entorno.

¿Qué es la propiocepción y por qué es importante en la danza?

La propiocepción es la capacidad de percibir la posición y movimiento del cuerpo sin necesidad de verlo. Es importante en la danza porque permite al cerebro tener un diagrama del cuerpo, facilitando la coordinación de movimientos precisos.

¿Cómo contribuye el cerebelo a la danza?

El cerebelo integra señales de la corteza motora, los órganos de propiocepción y el oído interno para predecir y corregir errores de ejecución durante la danza, ayudando con el equilibrio y la coordinación.

¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la danza y otras actividades con movimientos complejos, como la gimnasia o la natación?

La diferencia es que la danza debe apelar a la intención y la expresión emocional, características de la práctica artística, que dependen de la interacción entre las redes de movimiento y el sistema límbico, que maneja las emociones.

¿Qué descubrieron los investigadores al estudiar al loro Snowball?

Los investigadores descubrieron que Snowball realizaba movimientos espontáneos, diversos y rítmicos al ritmo de la música, convirtiéndose en el primer caso documentado de un animal no humano que baila, demostrando que esta capacidad no es exclusiva de los humanos.

¿Qué es la 'red de observación de acciones' y cuál es su importancia en la danza?

La 'red de observación de acciones' es un conjunto de áreas cerebrales que se activan cuando observamos a otros moverse. Es importante en la danza porque facilita el aprendizaje a través de la observación y la imitación de movimientos.

¿Qué beneficios tiene la danza sobre la plasticidad cerebral?

La danza induce cambios en la función cerebral gracias a la neuroplasticidad, mejorando la integración de la información auditiva y las secuencias de movimiento. Estos beneficios pueden observarse tanto en adultos jóvenes como en mayores.

¿Por qué la danza se considera una actividad beneficiosa para la salud?

La danza combina la experiencia musical, el entrenamiento físico y un estado mental meditativo, lo cual ha demostrado ser beneficioso para la salud física y mental, incluyendo el desarrollo de la empatía y la mejora de la cognición social.

Outlines

00:00

🕺 El nacimiento de la danza y su relación con el cerebro

Desde tiempos antiguos, los humanos se comunicaban a través de movimientos corporales, lo que dio origen a la danza. Nietzsche menciona que la danza convierte al hombre en una obra de arte. La danza, al igual que el cerebro, se basa en conexiones, ya que tanto los coreógrafos, los bailarines como los espectadores están sincronizados a través de sus movimientos y emociones. La neurociencia cognitiva estudia cómo el cerebro coordina los patrones precisos de movimiento necesarios para la coreografía, a través de la activación de la corteza motora, y cómo la percepción espacial es clave para ubicarnos en el espacio durante la danza.

05:01

🐦 El cerebro detrás del equilibrio y la danza animal

El cerebelo, encargado del equilibrio, recibe señales de la corteza motora y órganos de la propriocepción, permitiendo la corrección de errores al bailar. El sistema límbico también participa, integrando emoción y expresión. Un caso sorprendente es el del loro Snowball, que demostró ser capaz de moverse al ritmo de la música, siendo el primer animal no humano documentado que lo hace. Los investigadores sugieren que la evolución del cerebro danzante está vinculada al desarrollo del lenguaje, dado que ambos implican imitación, representación y comunicación social.

10:04

🎶 El poder de la neuroplasticidad en la danza

Estudios recientes han demostrado que bailar induce cambios en el cerebro, tanto en jóvenes como en adultos mayores, debido a la neuroplasticidad. Los bailarines desarrollan una mayor habilidad para integrar información auditiva y movimientos. Las investigaciones sugieren que, aunque observar no es lo mismo que bailar, los bailarines expertos activan más intensamente sus redes de observación de acciones al ver a otros bailar, lo que facilita la práctica mental de movimientos complejos, demostrando la importancia de la experiencia en la actividad cerebral.

15:07

💃 Danza, salud y emociones: conexiones profundas

La danza, además de mejorar la condición física, fomenta la memoria, las habilidades motoras y la expresión emocional. Los estudios sugieren que bailar tiene beneficios terapéuticos, desde la prevención de enfermedades como el Alzheimer hasta el tratamiento de la diabetes. Las neuronas espejo involucradas en la danza también están relacionadas con la empatía y la cognición social, lo que refuerza el poder de la danza para conectar a los seres humanos tanto física como emocionalmente.

Keywords

💡Danza

La danza es el tema central del video, descrita como una forma artística que surge de movimientos corporales en relación con el sonido y el tiempo. A lo largo de la historia, la danza ha sido un medio de expresión social y ritual, y en el video se la explora tanto desde una perspectiva artística como neurocientífica, explicando cómo el cerebro coordina los movimientos necesarios para bailar.

💡Corteza motora primaria

La corteza motora primaria es una parte del cerebro ubicada en el lóbulo frontal, responsable de la ejecución del movimiento. En el video, se explica que esta área envía señales a la médula espinal para activar los músculos y permitir la contracción muscular necesaria para ejecutar los movimientos durante la danza.

💡Propriocepción

La propriocepción es la capacidad de percibir la posición y movimiento del cuerpo sin necesidad de mirarlo directamente. En el video, se menciona como un sentido crucial para la danza, ya que permite que los bailarines tengan conciencia de la posición de su cuerpo en el espacio, ayudando a la coordinación y la ejecución de movimientos precisos.

💡Sistema de observación de la acción

El sistema de observación de la acción incluye las neuronas espejo, que se activan cuando observamos a alguien moverse. En el video, se explica que los bailarines tienen una red de observación de acciones más activa que las personas no entrenadas, lo que les ayuda a mejorar su técnica a través de la observación de otros bailarines, mostrando mayor actividad en la corteza premotora cuando observan movimientos familiares.

💡Cerebelo

El cerebelo es una estructura ubicada en la parte posterior del cerebro que coordina el equilibrio y la precisión de los movimientos. En el video, se menciona que el cerebelo recibe señales de la corteza motora, la propriocepción y el oído interno, permitiéndole predecir y corregir errores en la ejecución del movimiento durante la danza.

💡Neuroplasticidad

La neuroplasticidad es la capacidad del cerebro para reorganizarse y adaptarse en respuesta a nuevas experiencias, como aprender nuevas habilidades motoras. En el video, se destaca cómo la práctica de la danza induce cambios en el cerebro de jóvenes y adultos mayores, demostrando que nunca es tarde para aprender un nuevo estilo de baile y mejorar los circuitos neuronales.

💡Sistema límbico

El sistema límbico es un conjunto de estructuras cerebrales que regulan las emociones. En el video, se menciona que este sistema interactúa con las redes de movimiento durante la danza, lo que permite que la danza sea no solo un ejercicio físico, sino también un medio de expresión emocional, lo que la distingue de otras actividades físicas como la gimnasia.

💡Neurona espejo

Las neuronas espejo son un tipo de célula nerviosa que se activa tanto cuando una persona realiza una acción como cuando observa a otra persona realizarla. En el video, se explica que este tipo de neuronas juega un papel importante en la danza, ayudando a los bailarines a aprender y perfeccionar movimientos a través de la imitación y la observación de otros bailarines.

💡Corteza insular

La corteza insular es una región del cerebro que integra información interoceptiva, como el estado hormonal o visceral, con la identidad y la autoimagen. En el video, se destaca que los bailarines tienen una capacidad interoceptiva privilegiada, lo que les permite ser más conscientes de su estado corporal, y que esta área cerebral podría estar relacionada con el uso terapéutico de la danza.

💡Empatía

La empatía es la capacidad de comprender y compartir los sentimientos de otros. En el video, se explica que las neuronas espejo, activadas en la observación de movimientos, también están involucradas en el reconocimiento emocional y la cognición social, lo que sugiere que la danza, al implicar la observación e imitación de movimientos, puede fortalecer la empatía entre las personas.

Highlights

Dance is an artistic form born from human body movements and gestures.

Nietzsche in 'The Birth of Tragedy' describes dance as a way for humans to become a work of art.

Dance offers a form of expression and a way to release energy or fulfill an impulse.

The brain coordinates precise movement patterns for dance choreography.

Cognitive neuroscience explores the neural underpinnings of dance.

The Primary Motor Cortex is involved in the execution of dance movements.

The premotor cortex and supplementary motor area are essential for movement planning.

Proprioception, our sense of body position, is crucial for dancing.

Dance engages the cerebellum for balance and coordination.

Dance is distinguished from other complex movements by its artistic intention and emotional expression.

Neuroscientific studies have analyzed the brains of dancers using various techniques.

Dancers have a highly active 'action observation network', including mirror neurons.

Experienced dancers show more brain activity when observing dance, indicating mental practice.

Dance training can induce brain changes through neuroplasticity.

New technologies are enabling the measurement of brain activity during natural dance movements.

Dancers perceive their bodily states with greater accuracy than non-dancers.

Dance may have therapeutic potential for conditions like Alzheimer's disease or diabetes.

Dance integrates musical experience, motor experience, and a meditative state of mind.

Dance is a social activity that exercises memory, motor skills, and emotional expression.

The neuroscience of dance confirms its relevance and therapeutic power.

Transcripts

Even before verbal language was born

human beings had to communicate through body movements,

expressing feelings and moods

through gestures and movements.

Throughout its history, humanity has used this means

to transmit information in a ritual and social way,

giving birth to what we know today as dance

an artistic form where the aesthetic experience

arises from body movements in relation to sound and time.

In his book The Birth of Tragedy, Nietzsche stated:

"In song and in dance, man expresses himself

as a member of a higher community:

he has forgotten how to walk and speak. Dancing,

he is no longer an artist, he has become a work of art "

Regardless of the immense variety of dance styles,

practicing dance offers a form of expression,

a way to release energy or fulfill an impulse.

For those who observe it,

dance is visual spectacle produced by the human body,

based on the admiration of the countless possible

positions of our muscles and joints.

How does our brain coordinate

the precise movement patterns

necessary for a dance choreography?

In order to explore this universe, cognitive neuroscience

has approached the dance world by

measuring the changes in structure and function

happening in the brain of an experienced dancer,

and also by analyzing brain activity

when we perform rhythmic movements

or when we watch other people dance.

Both art and the brain work on the basis of connections:

A Synapse is the connection space between two neurons

and the magic of dance

takes place in the connection spaces

between choreographers, dancers and spectators.

I am Fernanda Pérez-Gay, I have a PhD in Neuroscience

and in this episode of SINAPSIS

we will talk about the neural underpinnings of dance

an art whose instrument

is nothing but the moving body.

SINAPSIS:Connections between art and your brain

EPISODE 4:DANCE

Movement is our only way of interacting with the world.

According to the neurologist Charles Sherrington,

“To move objects is all that man can do;

whether in whispering a syllable or felling down a forest,

for such the sole executant is muscle”.

The brain has different motor systems:

The cerebral cortex of the FRONTAL lobe, contains an area

which we have already spoken about in past episodes:

the Primary Motor Cortex.

Our body is represented part by part

by the neurons in that area of ​​the brain.

These neurons send signals, through their axons,

down to the spinal cord,

where they activate other neurons

which in turn send signals to the muscles,

ordering them to contract.

This corresponds to the last step of the movement process:

Movement execution.

The question is: What happens before?

How are these actions planned and coordinated

so that we do not move in an erratic and random way,

but according to an ordered sequence of maneuvers

that allow us to interact with what surrounds us?

When it comes to movement planning,

Two other areas of the frontal cortex,

neighbors of the primary motor cortex, are essential:

the premotor cortex

and the supplementary motor area.

Primary motor cortex +

Premotor cortex +

Supplementary motor area =

Movement planning.

One of the key elements of the dance

is our ability to locate and move in space.

For the brain motor areas to do their job,

they must receive information

of the position of the body and its environment.

Have you ever heard of "PROPRIOCEPTION"?

If we close our eyes

and we leave our right hand just where it is,

we will still be able to perceive

where and in what position

is every finger of this hand,

without having to look at them directly.

This is thanks to a series of nervous receptors,

located in our muscles and joints,

which send signals to the brain's PARIETAL lobe,

where they generate a body diagram.

This sense of body position is called proprioception,

and some people affirm that it is our 6th sense.

When we dance, sensory information

- visual, spatial and proprioceptive -

goes to the posterior part of our parietal lobe,

where it is processed and sent to

the movement planning and execution areas,

located in the frontal lobe.

When we sway to the rhythm of a melody,

these structures communicate in a loop:

the motor cortex sends signals to contract our muscles

and move our joints,

and these, in turn, send proprioceptive signals back to the brain

to indicate our new position,

so that we can continue to move adequately.

In addition to these networks,

there are other systems that regulate the activity of the motor cortex.

The cerebellum,

located in the posterior part of the brain,

receives signals from the motor cortices,

the proprioception organs

and the inner ear

- important for balance -.

Integrating all this information allows the cerebellum

to predict and correct possible execution errors.

In summary:

Dancing implies spatial awareness,

awareness of body position,

balance, coordination

and rhythm.

But, what is the difference between dancing and other activities

with complex movements, such as gymnastics or swimming?

Dance must appeal

to what characterizes artistic practice:

intention and emotional expression,

which depend, as we have discussed in previous episodes,

on the interaction between movement networks

with the set of brain structures that deal with emotions:

The Limbic system.

In recent years, neuroscientific studies

have used different techniques to study

the structure and function of dancers' brains.

Stay with us on SINAPSIS

to discover the neural secrets that allow dancers

to “become works of art”.

"NEURO-WONDERS"

Are humans the only dancing animals?

Although we sometimes take it for granted,

human capacity for rhythmic and spontaneous movement

is an evolutionary novelty, and for a long time

it was thought to be uniquely human.

Although it's hard to believe

this idea was challenged by a cockatoo.

Yes, a cockatoo called Snowball.

This bird was made famous by a Youtube video, where it

appeared moving to the beat of a Backstreet Boys song.

After going viral,

the cockatoo impressed thousands of people with its way of dancing,

attracting the attention of a group of researchers

coordinated by Dr. Anirrudh Patel.

The researchers in this team wondered

if Snowball was really dancing to the music

or if its movements accidentally coincided with the rhythm.

To find out, they took the bird to the laboratory,

where they played 11 versions of the song with different beats

and they even changed the melody.

Surprised, they found that Snowball

speeded up or slowed down his movements with the music,

started his movement spontaneously

and used various parts of the body to dance,

concluding that this bird was the first documented non-human dancer.

Following this discovery, they found that 14 other species of parrots

also met the criteria

of spontaneous, diverse and rhythmic movements.

It is clear that the cultural development of human beings

have turned dance into a sophisticated art form

which goes well beyond the rhythmic bounces of these parrots.

Yet, like humans, parrots are capable

of a certain degree of imitation and vocal learning,

and also form strong social bonds.

Given these similarities,

researchers who studied Snowball suggest

that the evolution of the dancing brain

is closely related to that of the linguistic brain.

Based on imitation, representation

and used as a form of social communication,

dance and verbal language may have much more in common than we previously thought.

What enables dancers to accomplish the muscular prowesses

that never fail to impress us?

Over the past ten years, using different neuroimaging methods,

researchers began to study brain processes

underlying professional dance practice.

Analyzing the neural activity of a dancer in action

is quite a challenge, since neuroimaging

uses devices that normally compromise the mobility of the subject of study.

This is why most of the earliest neuroscientific studies of dance

rather applied themselves to analyzing

what goes on in the brains of dancers

when they watch videos of other dancers moving.

This approach is far from being far-fetched:

an important component of dance learning

goes through observation, so that we can imitate the movements of others.

These studies showed that dancers

have a very active "action observation network".

You may have heard of this network, since

it includes the famous "mirror neurons" - located in the pre-motor cortex.

Composed of FRONTAL cortices -of movement-

and PARIETAL cortices -which process visual and spatial information -

this network is activated when we watch someone else move.

If, in addition, we mentally simulate the action,

the primary and supplementary motor cortices will also be engaged.

When they watch dance videos,

dancers show greater activity

in this action observation network

- especially in the premotor cortex - than non-dancers.

In addition, the degree of this brain activity depends on expertise:

more experienced dancers show

more activity in their pre-motor cortex

when observing other dancers do their thing.

For example, one study compared brain activity in ballet dancers

when they observed either ballet movements

or capoeira movements.

The results showed that their action observation networks

were much more active

when watching ballet movements, their style of expertisee.

These findings suggest that, for expert dancers,

observing a known movement is sufficient to practice it mentally.

Of course, observing is not the same as dancing.

Neuroscience has also studied dancers

performing simplified dance movements,

such as moving their legs to the beat of music

or playing a dance video game.

The results showed that the dancers

not only activate their motor and sensory cortices

included in action networks more intensely,

but also they also had stronger activation in the

superior temporal gyrus, responsible for hearing.

Just like musicians,

dancers have a greater ability to integrate auditory information

and movement sequences,

an essential function to be able to synchronize with the music

and react to changes in rhythm and melody.

Just like music, dancing also induces brain changes

thanks to NEUROPLASTICITY.

A scientific article published in 2018

suggested that, in both young and older adults,

training motor skills related to dance

changed brain function.

This shows us that it is never too late to learn a new dancing style

and stimulate the many neural circuits

involved in this artistic activity.

With the development of new technologies,

we are getting closer and closer to the possibility

of measuring the brain activity of a dancer in action.

Thanks to portable electroencephalograms

and sensors placed on the joints,

new studies are already starting to approach

dance practice in a more natural way,

measuring the brain and muscle activity of the dancers,

throughout the whole spectrum of their movements.

For those who are in love with both the brain and dance,

the results of this new research lines are really promising.

"HUNTING FOR ANSWERS"

Some studies have shown that dancers can

perceive their bodily states with a greater accuracy than non-dancers.

This is one of the research interests of Dr. Francisco Gómez-Mont,

who uses the neural bases of dance to explain

how and why it can help us understand what's going on inside us

and how we can exploit its therapeutic potential in Alzheimer's disease or Diabetes.

Dancers have always known that the body thinks,

that it's not just the brain,

so that we are talking about an embodied, enactive cognition.

The great discovery since the application of brain imaging

techniques to dance practice is the description

of an "action observation system"

which is also the one that is activated in spectators

and that includes mirror neurons.

Another very important discovery

is the description of the insulas,

which are structures of the cerebral cortex

that integrate "interoceptive" information

with information about our identity and our self-image

According to the new theories of Dr. Tzakiris

whose group includes Julia Christensen and Mariana Bonmor,

the brain's insular cortices are fundamental in this process,

and some studies show that both dancers and musicians,

but particularly dancers,

have very privileged interoceptive capacities

-being more aware of their hormonal state

and the state of their viscerae-.

On the other hand, Dr. Christensen has documented the importance

of arts in general for the development of individuals

and has also raised an anti-addictive possibility of artistic activities

also linked to the insular cortices of the brain.

The question we ask ourselves is:

what does watching a good ballet gives us beyond eating a Häagen Dasz,

or having a sexual experience?

And the conclusion that is drawn is that

art does not only stimulate dopamine-related mechanisms

- anticipation of pleasure and pleasure as such -

but also somehow makes you think of yourself,

of your future, of what you could be,

since art somehow activates these other areas of the brain

which are not so much related with us as consumers, looking for

pleasure from dopamine,

but rather with our search for transcendence.

The best summary of all this is given by Fernando Pessoa,

who has been a very important figure in the six colloquiums on neuro-dance

that have been organized here in Mexico.

Fernando Pessoa says:“My soul is a hidden orchestra;

- in this case a series of brain modules

that process different types of information -

but all I can hear is the symphony"

This symphonic model of bodily and brain functioning

places neuro-arts in general and neuro-dance in particular

in a very privileged place.

In addition, in the medical field

there is a growing interest

to apply this knowledge of neuro-dance

to the treatment, for example, of Alzheimer's disease,

a coming epidemic,

or diabetes, another epidemic that has already hit us in Mexico.

The power of dance radicates in the

integration of musical experience,

with motor experience -similar to physical training-

and a meditative state of mind,

three ingredients that have each been documented

as being beneficial for our health.

Dancing is a sophisticated activity,

a mixture of athletic and artistic training

which requires the collaboration of our brain circuits

of perception, cognition, emotion and action.

In addition, dance is a social activity:

most of the time it depends

of coordination and synchronization with other human beings.

Imitating the movement of others

is essential to fully understand them:

the neurons which are activated in the observation network of the action

- the famous mirror neurons -

are also involved in emotional recognition

and in social cognition, fundamental for empathy.

Dancing is not only good for fitness:

it exercises our memory, refines our motor skills,

allows us to express our emotions and brings us closer to other human beings.

Today, the powerful discoveries in the neuroscience of dance

confirm that it is relevant to continue addressing its therapeutic power.

The Brain - wrote Emily Dickinson - is wider than the Sky

For - put them side by side -

The one the other will contain - with ease, and you beside.

We invite you to continue navigating the incredible skies of the brain with us!

You can do so by liking this video,

following our social media accounts

and subscribing to our Youtube channel

so you won't miss the next episodes of SINAPSIS:

Connections between Art ...

and your brain!

CREDITS Original idea, research, script and animation: Dr. Fernanda Pérez-Gay Juárez

// Production:Ivan Méndez Rivera // Production assistant: Pablo Sierra.

Editing, post-production and illustration: Rodrigo Pérez-Grovas Álvarez.

Specialist: Dr. Francisco Gómez-Mont

Dancers:-MDC Dance Academy - Me dicen Cuba -Neurocasineros Libres, TimbaMX and Somos Casineros in México -Swing it Academy, Mexico City -Zaira Cancino, Samba México

Dancers coordinator: Dr. Lucía Ledesma

Acknowledgments:Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico MDC Dance Academy; Neurociencias 30 days; Grupo interdisciplinario de arte y neurociencias; Centro especializado en Psicología de la Salud.

Music - Original compositions of -Manuel Velázquez -Album Into Madness -Scott Holmes, André Codeman, Dee Yan-Jey -Backstreet boys

English translation: Fernanda Pérez-Gay J. ** Funded by the Quebec Research Funds.

Original Project Funding:FONCA (Council for the Arts of Mexico) -ACT Program - Arte, Ciencia y Tecnologías (Art, Science and Technologies), Secretariat of Culture

Copyright:SINAPSIS:Conexiones entre el Arte y tu Cerebro. Mexico City, Mexico, 2019