Effects of multisensory stimulation on cognition, depression and anxiety levels of mildly-affected alzheimer's patients

Abstract

Aims The purpose of this study was to investigate and assess the effects of musical therapy, painting inanimate–animate object pictures, and orientation to time–place–person interventions on the cognitive state, depression, and anxiety levels of mildly-affected Alzheimer's patients. Methods The study using a quasi-experimental design was conducted with 27 mildly-affected Alzheimer's patients. The effects of the multisensory stimulation were evaluated with the “Mini Mental State Examination,” the “Geriatric Depression Scale,” and the “Beck Anxiety Scale.” All of these were administered one day prior to beginning the study, immediately after its completion, and three weeks thereafter. Results A significant negative correlation was determined to exist between the MMSE–depression scores and MMSE–anxiety scores; the correlation between the depression–anxiety scores, on the other hand, had a positive significance. The shifts over time in the MMSE, depression and anxiety scores were significant. Conclusion The primary conclusion of the study is that the multisensory stimulation method applied to mildly-affected Alzheimer's patients had a positive effect on their cognitive state, depression, and anxiety, and that this effect continued for three weeks following completion of the study intervention, with a tendency to decline progressively.