Why Art Therapy is Good for the Alzheimer's Brain

04/11/2013 16:37

Why Art Therapy is Good for the Brain

Nov 01, 2013 by Jennifer Wegerer

Art therapy has proven a powerful tool for treating Alzheimers. More than giving patients something pretty to look at it or an exercise to keep them busy, it stimulates the brain. It stirs memories and can bring language back into the life of someone who struggles to speak.
A picture is worth a thousand words, an adage demonstrated over and over through the success of art therapy on Alzheimers patients. Patients dont necessarily re-learn lost words through this treatment, but they are exploring a new vocabulary. Studies show that art therapy gives back to Alzheimers patients, in some part, what the disease has taken away. It stimulates the senses, can trigger dormant memories and encourages conversation. Whether theyre viewing or creating art themselves, Alzheimers patients can use it as a form of expression, particularly individuals who cant communicate verbally.

The Science Behind Art Therapy and Alzheimers

The Case of Mary Hecht
Research published in the Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences examined how Alzheimers patients recall events through artwork. Experts focused on sculptor Mary Hecht who died in 2013. Shed suffered from vascular dementia. Similar to Alzheimers, this illness reduces blood flow to the brain, impairing cognitive function. Hecht couldnt recall time on a clock or name common animals. But her artistic skills were as sharp as ever. She could sketch portraits of people from memory as well as reproduce a drawing shed done herself. In interviews with Hechts researchers, Medical Daily reports how art allows Alzheimers patients to bypass language. Essentially, it helps the brain navigate a new communication path. Art, as well as music, draw from parts of the brain that language doesnt. Although experts agree that art therapy wont cure Alzheimers, it provides a sense of accomplishment and completion. Of course, it also offers patients the chance to create and enjoy that experience.

The Case of Lonni Sue Johnson

After suffering viral encephalitis, artist Lonni Sue Johnson lost the ability to form new memories. According to an article published in Time, brain scans performed by doctors from Johns Hopkins and Princeton universities showed damage to her hippocampus and its surrounding structures. Destroyed by the virus, Johnsons hippocampus no longer consolidates short-term memories into long-term ones. Johnson can remember some details from her childhood but doesnt recognize people if they leave her room and return again a moment later. However, she can identify her own drawings done prior to her illness. And she can still play the viola, another skill from before her illness, read music and learn to play new songs. Neuroscientists link these capabilities to procedural or muscle memory (unconscious memory), suggesting that the procedural-memory system remains intact for amnesia patients, a breakthrough in the field. Ultimately, experts hope to use the knowledge they gain through Johnsons case to treat patients with Alzheimers. While Johnson is happy to cooperate with ongoing brain scans and tests, she remains eager for some semblance of the life she had. Although she cant remember it all, she knows shes missing something.

Community Arts
A recent article in USA Today describes how art therapy can awaken patients in cognitive decline. It can inspire a senior with limited speech to use a paintbrush to communicate. And it can lessen aggressive behavior. At Harrison Terrace, a senior living facility in Indianapolis, art and dance classes are used to help connect seniors with memories from their past. In addition, art offers a chance to connect socially, helping lower the sense of isolation that often accompanies Alzheimers. The Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) hosts an annual art contest that encourages and recognizes artistic skills of senior living residents nationwide. At Emeritus, a senior community that runs its own residential art contest, art is promoted as a means of stimulating and strengthening the brains of Alzheimers

http://www.aplaceformom.com/blog/2013-10-31-art-therapy-good-for-brain/

Page 1 of 2

Why Art Therapy is Good for the Alzheimer's Brain

04/11/2013 16:37

patients. In fact, during renovations over the next two years, Emeritus plans to donate 10,000 pieces of art to other nonprofits and senior centers as a way to share the beauty of art. To further the use of art as an Alzheimers therapy, the Im Still Here Foundation started its Artists for Alzheimers (ARTZ) initiative. ARTZ has developed cultural programs that provide over 10,000 Alzheimers and dementia patients access to community arts and cultural events. The idea is to enhance the lives of Alzheimers patients and reduce their symptoms.

Art Inspires Memories

Art therapy wont eliminate the illness, but it can stimulate the brain in a new direction. The creativity and happiness that art brings can make all the difference in the life of a loved one whos been progressively in decline.

More Articles:
5 Innovative Alzheimers Therapies 7 Things You Can Do to Help End Alzheimers Disease Announcing Alzheimers.net: A Caregiving Community and Resource Why Art Therapy is Good for the Brain by Jennifer Wegerer

About the Author

Jennifer Wegerer is a writer and editor living in the Pacific Northwest. Originally from the Midwest, Jennifer graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in English and later earned a Certificate in Project Management from Portland State University. She's worked as a writer in the technical communications and marketing fields for over 15 years, taking a short break along the way to have twins. Along with writing, she enjoys movies, yoga, beach trips, wine tasting, and the chance to relax with friends and family.

http://www.aplaceformom.com/blog/2013-10-31-art-therapy-good-for-brain/

Page 2 of 2