Neural dynamics of aesthetic appreciation: fNIRS evidence from poetry reading

Aesthetic reading plays a crucial role in both formal and informal educational settings. However, the transition from semantic comprehension to aesthetic appreciation remains unclear. The present study used functional near-infrared spectroscopy to examine the neural dynamics of aesthetic appreciation during poetry reading. Participants were asked to read Tang poetry aesthetically while fNIRS signals were recorded from frontal and temporal regions. Compared with an efferent reading task, aesthetic reading showed a distinct three-phase neural dynamic pattern. In the initial phase, similar levels of HbO activation were observed across regions, likely reflecting early semantic processing. This was followed by a divergence, with decreased HbO activity in the left primary somatosensory cortex and the left superior, middle, and inferior temporal gyri during aesthetic reading, suggesting a relative reduction in semantic-processing dominance. In the final phase, activity in these regions increased again, accompanied by elevated HbO in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which may be related to memory, imagination, and empathy. This reactivation was associated with participants' self-reported aesthetic appreciation. Overall, the findings provide preliminary evidence for the temporal and spatial dynamics of brain activity during aesthetic reading and suggest a possible transition from early semantic processing to a more elaborated mode of aesthetic engagement.