The cognitive neuroscience of literary fiction: Bridging biomedical sciences and health humanities.

Through a series of black marks on a sheet of paper or a screen, literature manages to build entire universes: transport us to other times, show us unknown places, introduce us to characters with whom we will never interact in real life; make us live adventures and suffer tragedies and, all while sitting alone, share the feelings and mental states of others. How is this possible? What happens in our brains and bodies when we read a book? Reading fiction activates very diverse neural networks, from the classic circuits of language processing to the wide networks (which include sensory and motor systems) in which “meaning” is encoded and retrieved in the brain. Furthermore, researchers in cognitive neuroscience have shown that the neural circuits processing certain fictional situations (e.g., a social exchange between characters) overlap with circuits that process similar situations in real life, providing biological evidence for the idea that literature simulates conscious experience. In parallel, research in experimental psychology has produced quantitative data revealing that fiction can improve our understanding of ourselves, the world and others. To fully exploit the enormous potential of these discoveries, a transdisciplinary exchange is becoming urgent. This article aims to share the most relevant findings in cognitive neuroscience relevant for the study of fiction in a format accessible for readers in different fields, setting the stage for a dialogue between literature, the arts, philosophy and mental health related disciplines.