Objectives Stroke survivors commonly face multifaceted challenges, including physical impairment, cognitive decline, and reduced quality of life. Modern medicine's increasing reliance on high-cost technological solutions risks overlooking simpler, accessible interventions. This scoping review aimed to explore the diverse roles of visual art in stroke neurorehabilitation, identify prevailing themes (communication, therapy, neuroplasticity), and highlight areas needing further investigation. We define visual art as the creation or engagement with artistic mediums such as painting, drawing, or sculpture. Design A comprehensive literature search spanning January 2000 to September 2025 was conducted across MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, and OpenAccess databases. Inclusion criteria focused on studies of human stroke patients using conventional visual art (excluding virtual art, music, or literary arts) published in English. Screening involved one reviewer for titles/abstracts and two independent reviewers for full-text articles, with conflicts resolved by a physician. A total of 41 articles met the criteria. Results Three primary themes emerged from the included articles: Communication, Therapy, and Neuroplasticity. Visual art serves as a critical alternative communication pathway for patients with aphasia or language deficits, aiding expression and engagement with physicians. High-quality evidence, including randomized controlled trials, supports its therapeutic use, showing consistent improvements in quality of life (QOL), psychosocial well-being, reduced depression, and enhanced engagement with therapy. However, research directly linking visual art to measurable neuroplastic changes remains sparse, consisting primarily of case-based and descriptive studies. Conclusions Visual art demonstrates a valuable, low-cost, and accessible patient-oriented intervention that effectively supports communication and psychosocial recovery in stroke neurorehabilitation. While therapeutic benefits are clear, a significant knowledge gap persists regarding its direct influence on neuroplasticity. Future research requires improved standardization of terminology across art modalities and the creation of more robust research designs to enhance generalizability. Further systematic reviews and case studies are warranted, particularly within the emerging area of neuroplasticity.
