(Adapted from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

TEXT 2

According to a recent study, when actors take on a new character, they may be able to suppress their everyday self. This implies that theatre training may have a big impact on the fundamental mechanisms of the human brain. Researchers in this study worked in collaboration with Flute Theatre. They created and delivered interactive productions of Shakespeare for autistic individuals and their families. They used a series of sensory drama games, known as the Hunter Heartbeat Method.

The team used wearable brain imaging technologies and physiological measurement devices. They were first introduced at UCL’s Department of Biomedical Engineering. Both devices were used to evaluate the brain activity of actors as they rehearsed scenes from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

The findings showed that when the actors heard their own name during the performance, their response was suppressed in the left anterior prefrontal cortex of the brain. This is usually associated with self-awareness. The same result was witnessed consistently in six actors who were tested when rehearsing several times over a week. Meanwhile, when the performers were not in acting conditions, they responded normally to hearing their own name.

According to the lead researcher, this is the first time that neuroscientists have been able to record brain activity in actors as they perform a role. We hope that this study will help us understand what theatre training does to the brain and to build new connections between neuroscientists and theatre professionals.

(Adapted from https://www.sciencedaily.com)