Feasibility of visual art therapy (VAT) on rehabilitation of post stroke patients

Unilateral Spatial Neglect (USN) is one of the most pejorative prognostic factor of functional outcome after stroke. Modern Visual Art Therapy (VAT) is an innovative approach introducing art into a care process. The purpose of our study was to assess the feasibility and benefits of VAT by a trained art-therapist in addition to standard rehabilitation in cognitive functions and quality of life in post stroke patients.We selected 67 consecutive patients and we finally included 23 patients (13 women, 10 men), mean age of70.43 (12.15) into three groups: 7 in AAT group, 8 in CAT group and SR group respectively. Patients were included into three groups: 7 patients received Active Art Therapy (AAT) sessions; 8 Contemplative Art Therapy (CAT) sessions; 8 Standard Rehabilitation (SR) alone.We notice a trend to improve USN and Mini-Mental Status-Examination (MMSE) in all groups of patients and this persisted at long-term follow-up (V3). This improvement of cognitive performances was more marked in the VAT groups. All patients showed also a global improvement of their quality of life (QoL) at the long-term follow-up, particularly in the CAT group. Depression score remained high in SR group comparing to VAT group.Modern visual art-therapy (VAT) delivered by a trained art-therapist seems to be a positive and feasible additional method of rehabilitation of neglect in sub-acute post-stroke patients. We recommend VAT also to improve depression and quality of life during rehabilitation period. This is the first study to evaluate the impact of VAT delivered by a trained art-therapist in rehabilitation of neglect post-stroke patients. Our findings should be confirmed by others studies with larger sample patients including brain imaging.