An artwork can help patients suffering from serious illnesses, such as cancer or degenerative diseases. It makes a patient feel better because it stimulates the same brain areas as seeing a loved one. Visiting exhibitions and events, listening to concerts, watching a movie, or attending a theater performance can slow down aging and the onset of health problems.

This principle is supported by scientific evidence produced by research and will now be used by "Arte e Salute." It is a new Italian project promoted by a committee of four scientific directors in Rome. The goal of the project is to create a new and more conscious integration between art and medical care among various experts.