Therapeutic arts in Alzheimer disease: a brief review of evidence and mechanisms.

As pharmacological treatments for Alzheimer disease (AD) offer only modest symptomatic improvement, non-pharmacological interventions - including therapeutic arts - are increasingly being explored for their potential to enhance cognitive, emotional, and psychosocial well-being in individuals with AD. This mini-narrative review aimed to summarize the various neurobiological mechanisms through which therapeutic arts impact progression of AD. It also compares the findings, clinical benefits, and changing attitudes of patients and caregivers toward therapeutic arts, such as music therapy, visual arts, dance/movement therapy, and creative expression, before and after 2000. With robust studies and advanced technologies, there is growing evidence that integrating structured arts-based programs into dementia care may provide cost-effective solutions to improve patient outcomes and slow functional decline in patients with AD.