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Background. The growing social emergency represented by Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the lack of medical treatments able to modify the disease course have kindled the interest in nonpharmacological therapies. Objective. We introduced a novel nonpharmacological approach for people with AD (PWA) named Multidimensional Stimulation group Therapy (MST) to improve PWA condition in different disease domains: cognition, behavior, and motor functioning. Methods. Enrolling 60 PWA in a mild to moderate stage of the disease, we evaluated the efficacy of MST with a randomized-controlled study. Neuropsychological and neurobehavioral measures and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were considered as outcome measures. Results. The following significant intervention-related changes were observed: reduction in Neuropsychiatric Inventory scale score, improvement in language and memory subscales of Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive subscale, and increased fMRI activations in temporal brain areas, right insular cortex, and thalamus. Conclusions. Cognitive-behavioral and fMRI results support the notion that MST has significant effects in improving PWA cognitive-behavioral status by restoring neural functioning.

Original publication

DOI

10.1177/1545968314532833

Type

Journal article

Journal

Neurorehabil Neural Repair

Publication Date

01/2015

Volume

29

Pages

13 - 24

Keywords

Alzheimer’s disease, MRI, cognitive therapy, functional MRI, language, magnetic resonance imaging, occupational therapy, recreation therapy, rehabilitation, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alzheimer Disease, Brain, Caregivers, Case-Control Studies, Cognition Disorders, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Oxygen, Psychotherapy, Group, Regression Analysis, Residence Characteristics, Time Factors, Treatment Outcome, Verbal Learning