{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,25]],"date-time":"2026-08-25T07:32:46Z","timestamp":1787643166676,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":60,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,23]],"date-time":"2026-03-23T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1774224000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"\n Objective<\/jats:title>\n To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of visual art therapy (VAT) in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Methods<\/jats:title>\n \n A systematic search of multiple bibliographic databases and gray literature sources was conducted from inception to January 25, 2026, and RCTs comparing VAT with control conditions were included. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. Continuous outcomes were pooled using a random-effects model and summarized as SMDs or MDs. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran\u2019s\n Q<\/jats:italic>\n test and the\n I<\/jats:italic>\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n statistic. Meta-analyses were performed in RevMan 5.3, and certainty of evidence was rated using the GRADE approach.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n Nine RCTs (\n N<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f595) were included. For the primary outcome, VAT improved global cognition [SMD\u202f=\u202f0.55, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.72;\n I<\/jats:italic>\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n \u202f=\u202f0%; (number of studies)\n k<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f8;\n N<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f564, moderate certainty]. For secondary outcomes, VAT improved long-term memory (SMD\u202f=\u202f0.34, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.56;\n I<\/jats:italic>\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n \u202f=\u202f0%;\n k<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f5;\n N<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f331; low certainty) and short-term memory (SMD\u202f=\u202f0.42, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.65;\n I<\/jats:italic>\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n \u202f=\u202f11%;\n k<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f4;\n N<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f336; low certainty). No clear benefit was observed for language function (SMD\u202f=\u202f0.14, 95% CI \u22120.10 to 0.37;\n I<\/jats:italic>\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n \u202f=\u202f0%;\n k<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f4;\n N<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f277; low certainty). VAT reduced depressive symptoms (SMD\u202f=\u202f\u22120.53, 95% CI \u22120.86 to \u22120.21;\n I<\/jats:italic>\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n \u202f=\u202f42%;\n k<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f5;\n N<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f312; low certainty) and improved activities of daily living (SMD\u202f=\u202f\u22120.41, 95% CI \u22120.64 to \u22120.19;\n I<\/jats:italic>\n 2<\/jats:sup>\n \u202f=\u202f0%;\n k<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f4;\n N<\/jats:italic>\n \u202f=\u202f305; low certainty).\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n Current RCT evidence suggests that VAT improves global cognition in older adults with MCI and may improve memory, depressive symptoms, and activities of daily living, whereas no clear benefit was found for language function. These findings require confirmation in larger, methodologically rigorous trials with more standardized outcome measurement.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Systematic review registration<\/jats:title>\n \n https:\/\/www.crd.york.ac.uk\/PROSPERO\/view\/CRD420251167927<\/jats:ext-link>\n , CRD420251167927.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1765620","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,23]],"date-time":"2026-03-23T15:28:17Z","timestamp":1774279697000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["The effects of visual art therapy in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Yang","family":"Jiao","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Arts, Sichuan University","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yunxu","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"International School of Law and Society, Sichuan International Studies University","place":["Chongqing, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jinhua","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Social Governance, Southwest Petroleum University","place":["Chengdu, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,23]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","year":"2025"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"183","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2796.2004.01388.x","article-title":"Mild cognitive impairment as a diagnostic entity","volume":"256","author":"Petersen","year":"2004","journal-title":"J Intern Med"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"287","DOI":"10.1080\/13607863.2012.747083","article-title":"Quality of life in patients with mild cognitive impairment","volume":"17","author":"B\u00e1rrios","year":"2013","journal-title":"Aging Ment Health"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"840386","DOI":"10.3389\/fnagi.2022.840386","article-title":"Prediction models for conversion from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer\u2019s disease: a systematic review and Meta-analysis","volume":"14","author":"Chen","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Aging Neurosci"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"265","DOI":"10.1186\/s12967-024-05025-w","article-title":"Predicting long-term progression of Alzheimer\u2019s disease using a multimodal deep learning model incorporating interaction effects","volume":"22","author":"Wang","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Transl Med"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"226","DOI":"10.3390\/ejihpe15110226","article-title":"Clinical effectiveness of treatments for mild cognitive impairment in adults: a systematic review","volume":"15","author":"Cepeda-Pineda","year":"2025","journal-title":"EJIHPE"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.3390\/neurosci7010002","article-title":"Pharmacological management of mild cognitive impairment: from symptomatic treatment to disease modification\u2014a narrative review","volume":"7","author":"Mangalagiu","year":"2025","journal-title":"NeuroSci"},{"key":"ref8","first-page":"465","article-title":"Research progress of non-pharmacological interventions for mild cognitive impairment","author":"Song","year":"2023"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2684","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-024-20079-7","article-title":"Effect of non-pharmacological interventions in people with cognitive frailty: a systematic review and network meta-analysis","volume":"24","author":"Peng","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"200","DOI":"10.4135\/9781526401533","volume-title":"Art Therapy","author":"Edwards","year":"2014"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1116","DOI":"10.3760\/cma.j.cn115682-20200813-05118","article-title":"Advances in the application of visual art therapy in patients with dementia","volume":"27","author":"Yu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Chin J Mod Nurs"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"96","DOI":"10.1080\/01924788.2020.1796475","article-title":"What are the required elements needed to create an effective visual art intervention for people living with dementia? 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