NIMHANS, Mercuri Foundation propose national centre on music, brain and mental health under Ilaiyaraaja’s patronage

Key points

• In a move aimed at advancing research and innovation at the intersection of music, neuroscience and mental health, the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), in association with Mercuri Foundation, a philanthropic and research-oriented foundation, has proposed setting up a Centre for Music, Brain, Mind and Health under the patronage of composer Ilaiyaraaja.
• The proposed centre seeks to bring together experts in neuroscience, psychiatry, psychology, music, cognition, rehabilitation and technology to explore the role of music in human wellbeing.
• According to an official statement from NIMHANS, the centre is envisaged as India’s first interdisciplinary national facility integrating neuroscience, mental health, music, cognition, rehabilitation and technology.
• It aims to promote research, clinical innovation, education and public engagement in understanding how music influences the brain, emotions, cognition and overall health.
• The initiative is expected to build evidence-based approaches that draw on both traditional knowledge and contemporary neuroscience to improve mental health...