[PH-1-1] Effect of animal-assisted therapy on cognitive functions and emotion in patients with neurocognitive disorders
Background: Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) may improve cognitive functions and emotion in patients with neurocognitive disorders. However, there is limited evidence supporting the efficacy of AAT in community-dwelling patients with neurocognitive disorders. This study used a one-group time-series design to evaluate the efficacy of 8-week AAT sessions with dogs for community-dwelling patients with neurocognitive disorders.
Method: Patients received 8-week AAT sessions. Sessions were 1.5 hours held twice weekly, for a total of 16 sessions. AAT included static and dynamic activities with dogs. Baseline assessments (T0) were conducted 1 week before the first AAT session. Intermediate assessments (T1) were conducted after 4-week AAT sessions. Final assessments (T2) were conducted 1 week after 8-week AAT sessions. The raters assessed cognitive functions with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and emotion with the Taiwan Geriatric Depression Scale (TGDS). The study was approved by the local ethics committee of the Chang Gung Medical Foundation Institutional Review Board.
Results: A total of thirteen patients participated in the study, with an average age of 73.2 years. After the 8-week AAT sessions, there was a tendency of improvement in the TGDS score, and there were significant improvements in the naming and delayed recall (short-term memory) scores in the MoCA.
Conclusion: AAT is a promising assisted treatment of cognitive functions in community-dwelling patients with neurocognitive disorders. Our results suggest that AAT may improve naming and short-term memory performances. Further research is needed to add a control group and determine the long-term effects of AAT.
Method: Patients received 8-week AAT sessions. Sessions were 1.5 hours held twice weekly, for a total of 16 sessions. AAT included static and dynamic activities with dogs. Baseline assessments (T0) were conducted 1 week before the first AAT session. Intermediate assessments (T1) were conducted after 4-week AAT sessions. Final assessments (T2) were conducted 1 week after 8-week AAT sessions. The raters assessed cognitive functions with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and emotion with the Taiwan Geriatric Depression Scale (TGDS). The study was approved by the local ethics committee of the Chang Gung Medical Foundation Institutional Review Board.
Results: A total of thirteen patients participated in the study, with an average age of 73.2 years. After the 8-week AAT sessions, there was a tendency of improvement in the TGDS score, and there were significant improvements in the naming and delayed recall (short-term memory) scores in the MoCA.
Conclusion: AAT is a promising assisted treatment of cognitive functions in community-dwelling patients with neurocognitive disorders. Our results suggest that AAT may improve naming and short-term memory performances. Further research is needed to add a control group and determine the long-term effects of AAT.