Created Out of Mind
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Created Out of Mind: Shaping perceptions of dementias
IRAS ID
214730
Contact name
Sebastian Crutch
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
UCL Data Protection Registration Number, Z6364106/2016/09/76
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 8 months, 4 days
Research summary
Created Out of Mind is a team exploring dementia and the arts who have been invited to take up the 2016–2018 residency in The Hub at Wellcome Collection. Bringing together a rich network including scientists, artists, clinicians, public health experts and broadcasters, the group will use scientific and creative experimentation to challenge traditional definitions (=out of mind) and common perceptions/misconceptions (only affecting memory, the elderly), and stimulate curiosity about the healthy and aging brain, the ultimate instrument by which all our artistic skills and experiences are gained and lost. The project involves collaboration with a group of 60+ individuals, charities and institutions working in, supporting and developing the field of dementia and the arts. The project aims are threefold: (i) Develop methods and toolkits for evaluating the experience of people with dementia involved in artistic activities (the value to the participant, both ‘in the moment’ and after the fact measures) and the quality of those artistic activities (the value of the input); (ii) Shape public and professional perceptions of dementia. Common (mis)conceptions of dementia will be challenged through integrated artistic and scientific investigation of less recognised symptoms associated with typical and rare dementias. The team hope to enrich understanding about dementia by raising provocative questions about the healthy brain, our emotional reactions to change in ourselves and others, and the attributes by which we value and define humanity; and (iii) Improve our understanding of the brain through the changing artistic experiences of those living with dementia. Artistic change in neurodegenerative conditions provides powerful insights into the brain mechanisms underpinning specific art forms (e.g. musical cognition, as well as more general cultural attributes such as creativity and aesthetics (Graham et al., 2013; Halpern et al., 2007; Halpern & O’Connor, 2013)).
REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/2017
Date of REC Opinion
5 Dec 2016
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion