Swedish researchers say viewing and talking about art may not only soothe the soul, but may also have the added health benefit of curing ailments like high blood pressure and constipation.

Britt-Maj Wikstroem of the Ersta Skoendal University College in Stockholm had 20 women around the age of 80 years gather once a week for four months to discuss various works of art.

She says, "The result was positive. Their attitudes became more positive, more creative, their blood pressure went in the right direction ... and they used fewer laxatives."

A control group of 20 women met once a week to discuss their likes and dislikes instead of art did not experience the same effects, she pointed out.

Wikstroem says, "There was a significant difference between the groups." She adds the art group continued to show positive effects many months after their last discussion.

Wikstroem has been studying the effects of art on people in different settings since the 1980s, including a study of how museum art hung in offices impacts on the employees working there.