Lara Boyd

As a Wall Scholar Prof. Boyd will turn her attention to developing understanding of the importance of the arts for brain health. Literature, music and art have always been highly valued by humans but their impact on neurobiology is not well understood. Yet their persistence through time and intrinsic value across all cultures demonstrate their significance. Given that arts exposure and training are often the first to be set aside when economies struggle it is critical that we understand their impact on brain health.  Prof. Boyd’s goal for her time as a Wall Scholar is to build a new interdisciplinary research team that generates data explaining how the arts impact brain function, structure and excitability, and ultimately affect brain health.