Turning Dancers Brains into Research

Summary of "Ballet dancers' brains adapt to stop them getting a spin" by Imperial Collage London.

According to Imperial Collage London, ballerinas have trained their brain to decrease dizziness when turning. Inside the ear there are organs that help humans to feel balanced. When spun around the liquid inside the ear shifts and keeps moving after the spin has stopped creating the effect of dizziness. Imperial Collage London ran an experiment with “twenty-nine female ballet dancers” and “twenty female rowers” to test their theory. In a dimly lit room, each person was seated in a device and turned around. The test subjects had brain MRIs and tests after being spun. The results showed that ballerinas had a significantly decreased level of dizziness compared to the rowers. MRI tests stated that the area of the brain responsible for balance was much smaller in dancers. Dr. Seemungal said, “If we can target that same brain area or monitor it in patients with chronic dizziness, we can begin to understand how to treat them better.” Also this experiment has shone a new light on dizziness testing. “In many clinics, it's common to only measure the reflexes, meaning that when these tests come back normal the patient is told that there is nothing wrong.” However, doctors must test both “reflex and sensation” to properly diagnose chronic dizziness. (Imperial Collage London, 2013)

Personally I thought this article was very interesting and informational. As a ballet dancer, this research and experiment explained why dancers experience less dizziness than others. I found it surprising that the brains of ballerinas were different than the brains of rowers. This study has made me want to look into the effects of turns on a dancer's brain.

Imperial College London. (2013, September 26). Ballet dancers' brains adapt to stop them getting in a spin. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 10, 2014 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130926204725.htm