Role of activation therapy for patients with mild dementia or mild cognitive impairment: caregiver burden reduction

Activation therapy (AT) is a psychological technique of cognitive rehabilitation proposed for patients suffering from mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia. Based on neuropsychological principles, it consists of specific stimulation for each cognitive domain. This approach aims at maximizing cognitive functioning and reducing the risk of decline. It can improve patient's cognitive abilities in daily life activities, alleviating caregiver burden. Objective. To evaluate satisfaction of caregivers after activation therapy. Methods. The pilot-study selected 10 subjects (male 40% vs female 60%, age 81.6 +/- 3.64, education level 9.2 +/- 5) with diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (40%) and mild dementia (60%) from outpatients population of Pisa Clinic Neuropsychology Laboratory (Italy). Subjects were assessed with a neuropsychological battery including the investigation of memory, attention, orientation, visual agnosia, constructive apraxia, language and executive functions. Caregiver were administered the Questionnaire for caregiver of Alzheimer disease patient and the Cognitive Burden Inventory. Patients were submitted to 6-month cognitive activation therapy and reassessed at the end of the intervention. Data analysis was done comparing the averages of scores obtained at neuropsychological battery and Cognitive Burden Inventory. Results. Systematic stimulation of cognitive activation generally led to stabilization of patients' cognitive status. cognitive activation therapy can enhance impaired cognitive domains (especially executive functioning and memory), improving patients' abilities in daily life activities. Such treatment is associated with lower scores of burden inventory subscale. Conclusions. The study confirms that cognitive activation therapy can play a critical role in cognitive status of individuals with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia.