Page 12 - ChildArt July-Sept 2017 Your Brain on Art

10 CHILDART HEALTH

BLAM – BRAIN, LEARNING,
ANIMATION + MOVEMENT

John Krakauer, M.A., M.D., directs the settings today just aren’t motivating or
Brain, Learning, Animation and Movement rewarding. We’re combining what we
Lab at the Johns Hopkins University School know about learning and brain plasticity
of Medicine. Dr. Krakauer’s research with what we know about what people
explores the use of immersive video games love to watch for fun, like Pixar movies for
in stroke recovery. example, to promote faster recovery for
stroke patients.
How does your work fit into the field Our research is based on the notion
of neuroaesthetics? that swimming, oceans, the color blue BLAM
and dolphins would all be appealing
JK: A stroke is a brain injury, and right to most people in an immersive game
after an injury, the brain is what we call world. Someone might want a killer
“plastic.” That means it is able to change whale or dragon instead of a dolphin, arms, get to “become” a dolphin in three
and adapt as a result of that experience. but the underlying concept is similar. weeks of training in our immersive video
So, it’s important to get patients moving We’re currently conducting what’s world. We have an exoskeleton, a kind
quickly and meaningfully after a stroke known as a trial, or a first study. Patients of simulator, and the patients put their
to take advantage of that “plasticity.” who have recently had a stroke, and arms in it and use it to power the dolphin
We believe that beautiful and rewarding therefore have limited movement in their in the virtual world. It helps them move
experiences can motivate people to their arms much more than they normally
move, and therefore help people to would to encourage exploration when
recover faster. People enjoy certain kinds their brain is plastic. We have about 21
of movements more than others. That’s “We’re combining what we patients enrolled at this point. Hopefully
why people like to play sports and dance, we’ll have about 30 patients by the end
because they enjoy the movement itself. know about learning and of the year.
It’s like when you put your hand out of the brain plasticity with what
car window to feel the air. You enjoy that we know about what people How are you dreaming big about
movement of the air over your arm. love to watch for fun, like neuroaesthetics?
Pixar movies for example, to
How are you using reward and JK: Imagine there was science behind
motivation in your work at BLAM? promote faster recovery for the art you see in schools and offices, or
stroke patients.” the music and design of a hospital room.
JK: People are more motivated to move In those environments, you’d do better
when they get enjoyment out of the John Krakauer work. You’d have better outcomes. That’s
movement, and many of our physical what neuroaesthetics is all about.
therapy and rehabilitation exercises and