In January, Wake Forest announced it had joined the Neuroarts Blueprint Initiative, a project that brings together artists, researchers and clinicians to study how participating in the arts affects brain health. A dance professor and a gerontology and geriatrics professor will lead a new lab researching how dance can promote cognitive well-being in older adults. 

“The NeuroArts Blueprint Initiative aims to assemble the elements of an interdependent, fully operational neuroarts ecosystem,” Vice Provost for Research, Scholarly Inquiry and Creative Activity Kim McAllister said in an emailed statement. “As one of the first universities to secure federal funding for evidence-based studies on dance and neurodegenerative diseases, Wake Forest earned a vital seat at the table in shaping this national ecosystem.” 

Neuroarts is an interdisciplinary field that draws from neuroscience and psychology to study how creative practices like music, dance and visual art influence cognitive function, emotional regulation and physical health. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the Aspen Institute founded the Neuroarts Blueprint Initiative in 2019 to support the emerging field.

New lab promotes cognitive well-being through dance

Professor of Dance Christina Soriano and Professor of Gerontology and Geriatrics Christina Hugenschmidt will serve as co-directors of the new neuroarts lab, drawing from their respective academic backgrounds to create a research process that is both creatively engaging and clinically rigorous.

“The lab is an exciting extension of the work Dr. Christina Hugenschmidt and I have been doing for over a decade,” Soriano said in an emailed statement. “Together, our interdisciplinary team studies the way dance and music can improve the lives of older adults living with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s.”

Hugenschmidt also expressed enthusiasm.

“The Neuroarts lab will work to be a connector both within the institution and across the state to promote high-quality research on the arts, neuroscience, and health; increase cross-disciplinary courses on the arts; increase awareness of the benefits of arts participation; and increase access to the arts in our community,” she said in an emailed statement.

She added that the university’s inclusion in the Neuroarts Blueprint Initiative enables her and her colleagues to form fruitful partnerships with other institutions.

“I am excited for new collaborations we are already forming across the state and the connections we can help others to form,” she continued. “The institutional investment in this initiative should be a catalyst that helps partnerships come together faster and allows Wake Forest to stay cutting edge in this fast-moving field.”

Cutting-edge, collaborative research

Administrators said the new initiatives support Wake Forest’s goal to bridge gaps between academic boundaries in researching brain health, as outlined in the university’s Strategic Framework.

“What makes our approach distinctive is the seamless collaboration between arts faculty and basic scientists on the Reynolda campus, and the translational neuroscientists and clinical experts at the School of Medicine,” Vice Provost McAllister said.

Jonathan H. Burdette, a professor of neuroradiology at Wake Forest, serves as a member of the Neuroart Blueprint Initiative’s working group. He is currently studying how music can affect the brain and said neuroarts research can contribute much to clinical knowledge.“Anyone who has listened to music knows that they feel better when they’re listening to their favorite music,” Burdette said in an emailed statement. “Only recently has science started to investigate the power of the arts in how we feel and in healing in medicine, and evidence-based research is now showing how arts-based interventions can prevent illness, promote health and support recovery across the lifespan.” 

Researchers and administrators hope the university’s findings advance understanding of cognitive well-being for the Wake Forest community and beyond.

“The Neuroarts Lab’s critical community partners continue to expand, enabling us to deliver cutting-edge interventions directly to our neighbors in Winston-Salem and Charlotte, effectively transforming research into real-world health solutions,” McAllister said. “It’s a beautiful example of Pro Humanitate in action.”