Art therapy and underlying fMRI brain patterns in military TBI: A case series

TBI and PTSD are global issues and are often referred to as signature wounds of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Art therapy can provide unique insights into military service members' injuries and states of mind via externalisation within an art product; however, interpretation of results is complex and subjective. Advance neuroimaging tools such as resting state fMRI can be employed to demonstrate objective measures of brain structure and activity. This case series highlights two distinct patient profiles, suggesting a relationship between resting state connectivity maps and dynamic thalamic connectivity (as well as PCL-C and NSI scores and brain scars) and the corresponding visual elements of masks made during art therapy treatment. Ultimately, this study indicates a need for future research examining potential neurological changes pre- and post-art therapy treatment.