Neuroaesthetic Perspectives on Dance Creation: Cognitive Aging and Emotional Expression in Middle Adulthood (40–60 Years)

This systematic literature review (SLR) examines how neuroaesthetic perspectives illuminate the relationship between dance creation, cognitive aging, and emotional expression during middle adulthood (ages 40–60). Following PRISMA 2020 and PROSPERO guidelines, five major databases Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink were systematically searched for publications between 2013 and 2024. Fifteen peer-reviewed studies met the inclusion criteria.A thematic synthesis identified four interconnected domains: (1) cognitive adaptation and executive function, (2) emotional expression and affective regulation, (3) choreographic creativity and embodied cognition, and (4) neurobiological mechanisms of brain plasticity. Across studies, dance consistently emerged as a unique aesthetic and cognitive practice that fosters neural plasticity, enhances emotional regulation, and supports cognitive vitality through embodied movement and creative engagement. Neuroimaging evidence further demonstrated structural and functional brain changes associated with long-term dance participation, underscoring its potential as a non-pharmacological intervention for healthy cognitive and emotional aging.The review proposes an integrative conceptual framework linking aesthetic cognition and embodied simulation, advancing interdisciplinary dialogue between neuroscience, the arts, and health studies. Implications for arts-based health interventions are discussed, emphasizing the role of dance as both an artistic expression and a neurocognitive process that sustains wellbeing, emotional resilience, and self-expression in middle adulthood.