This is Hidden Brain.
I'm Shankar Vedantam.
The Old Testament tells the story of King Saul, a ruler who was frequently gripped by waves of anguish and despair.
When Saul was afflicted by such torments, his advisors didn't always call for a physician or a priest.
Instead, they summoned a young shepherd named David, known for his skill at playing the lyre.
As the music began to play, King Saul's mind would settle and his mood would lift.
For centuries, stories like this have been treated as legend, poetic, symbolic, even mystical.
But do they point to something real?
Today, a growing body of scientific research suggests that music, painting, dance,
and storytelling do far more than entertain us.
They calm our nervous systems, reshape our emotions, and even influence our physical health.
This week on Hidden Brain, and in a companion story on Hidden Brain Plus, why the arts are no luxury.
But rather a vital form of medicine for the mind.
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