HeART-BRAIN: An investigation of the neurocognitive mechanisms involved in museum visits and their acute effects on the mental and cardiac health of the elderly.
Target population : Individuals aged 60 and over, men and women, with or without persistent atrial fibrillation, who visit visual art exhibitions relatively infrequently (2 museum visits per year maximum).
The aim of this study is to identify the brain activity produced by the observation of paintings during museum visits, as well as the effects of this brain activity on the mental and cardiac health of the elderly. To this end, the research team is accompanying participants on two visits to the MBAM, equipping them with a system that measures brain activity, and conducting assessments of their mood and cardiovascular functioning before and after each visit.
A better understanding of the effects of museum visits on health will help determine their potential to contribute to the health maintenance of patients with chronic heart disease.
Duration : 2 visits to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
