Art has positive impact on stroke survival, research shows

There is growing evidence of a positive link between the integration of artwork into healthcare environments and an improvement in patient wellbeing and recovery.

However, new research is helping to expand this knowledge to show that patient engagement in the arts can also have a major impact on outcomes, particularly among stroke survivors.

As a result, researchers are now calling for art programmes to become an integral part of stroke rehabilitation services.

The results of a study presented at the 12th Annual Spring Meeting on Cardiovascular Nursing held in Denmark recently showed stroke survivors who liked art had a significantly higher quality of life than those who did not.

And it revealed that patients who appreciated music, painting and theatre recovered from their stroke better than patients who did not.

Lead author, Dr Ercole Vellone, assistant professor in nursing science at the School of Nursing at the university Tor Vergata in Rome, said: “We know that every six seconds there is a person affected by stroke somewhere in the world. Identifying strategies to improve stroke recovery and patients’ quality of life represent a priority for the healthcare system and art exposure seems to be promising.”

Identifying strategies to improve stroke recovery and patients’ quality of life represent a priority for the healthcare system and art exposure seems to be promising

part of the research, 192 stroke survivors with an average age of 70 years were asked if they did or did not like art. Quality of life was then compared for the 105 interested in the arts and the 87 who said they were not.

In general, those interested in art had better general health, found it easier to walk and had more energy. They were also happier, less anxious or depressed and, felt calmer. In addition, they had better memories and were superior communicators, both when it came to understanding what was being said and speaking to others and when naming people and objects correctly.

Dr Vellone said: “Stroke survivors who saw art as an integrated part of their former lifestyle, by expressing appreciation towards music, painting and theatre, showed better recovery skills than those who did not. The results suggest that art may make long-term changes to the brain which help it recover when things go wrong.”

The results suggest that art may make long-term changes to the brain which help it recover when things go wrong

He added that the findings highlighted the importance of lifelong exposure to art for improving the recovery process after a stroke.

“Introducing art into nursing care after stroke could help improve stroke survivors’ quality of life,” he said.

Previous research has shown that listening to your favourite music can stimulate a feeling of pleasure by releasing dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is the starting point of the so-called gratification circuit that activates the love hormone, oxytocinthe, and finally endorphins, the molecules of pleasurable emotions).

“Dopamine improves quality of life each time it is released in the brain,” said Dr Vellone. “Further research is needed to see if other art forms stimulate dopamine release in the same way.”