From PTSD to dementia, can art therapy be useful for prevention and intervention?

Author

Souhad Chbeir, Lesley UniversityFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-19-2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MAE - Master of Arts in Expressive Therapies

Department

Expressive Therapies

Advisor

Raquel Stephenson

Abstract

This review explores the possible link between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the increased risk of developing dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. Chronic stress and trauma alter the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal pathway resulting in increased exposure to glucocorticoids (GC). The hippocampus, a memory center of the brain, is highly vulnerable to the effect of the stress hormone GC because of the high density of GC receptors. Continuous exposure to stress causes reduced hippocampal volume resulting in memory problems, trouble in trauma processing and long term health consequences, possibly including Alzheimer’s disease. Trauma also results in reshaping the amygdala, the center of emotions, causing emotional outbursts among patients with PTSD. Service members and civilian adults with PTSD have higher risk of dementia at older age. Because trauma processing is often non-verbal, art therapy may be an effective treatment because it uses sensory information to transform images into trauma narrative. However, art therapy is more effective when combined with other psychotherapeutic modalities such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Hence, art therapy can be part of a treatment regimen that helps in the healing of trauma. That said, early treatment after exposure to trauma can prevent the long term consequences of stress on hippocampal reshaping, which may result in dementia. Evidence-based research for the effectiveness of art therapy in PTSD and the prevention of dementia is highly needed. This review provides a wide overview of the link between PTSD, dementia and the different treatment modalities that can be used for future research.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

Recommended Citation

Chbeir, Souhad, "From PTSD to dementia, can art therapy be useful for prevention and intervention?" (2018). Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses. 32.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_theses/32