ScienceDaily (Nov. 30, 2011) —
There are many different
causes of dementia and, although its progression can be fast or slow, it is
always degenerative. Symptoms of dementia include confusion, loss of memory,
and problems with speech and understanding. It can be upsetting for both the
affected person and their relatives and carers. New research published in
BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Medicine shows that a regime
of behavioral and mental exercises was able to halt the progression of
dementia.
Researchers led by Prof. Graessel, from
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen, included in their study patients with
dementia from five nursing homes in Bavaria. After random selection, half the
patients were included on the year-long MAKS 'intervention' consisting of two
hours of group therapy, six days a week. In addition all patients maintained
their normal treatment and regular activities provided by the nursing home.
The MAKS
system consists of motor stimulation(M), including games such as bowling,
croquet, and balancing exercises; cognitive stimulation (K), in the form of
individual and group puzzles; and practicing 'daily living' activities (A),
including preparing snacks, gardening and crafts. The therapy session began
with a ten minute introduction, which the researchers termed a 'spiritual
element' (S), where the participants discussed topics like 'happiness', or sang
a song or hymn.
After
12 months of therapy the MAKS group maintained their level on the Alzheimer's
Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS) and, even more importantly maintained their
ability to carry out activities of daily living, while the control group all
showed a decrease in cognitive and functional ability.
Prof. Graessel explained, "While we observed a better
result for patients with mild to moderate dementia, the result of MAKS therapy
on ADAS (cognitive function) was at least as good as treatment with
cholinesterase inhibitors. Additionally we found that the effect on the
patients' ability to perform daily living tasks (as measured by the Erlanger Test of Daily Living
(E-ADL)) was twice as high as achieved by medication. This means that MAKS
therapy is able to extend the quality of, and participation in, life for people
with dementia within a nursing home environment. We are currently in the
process of extending these preliminary results to see if this prevention of
dementia decline can be maintained over a longer time period."
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