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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2012 Mar;27(2):107-13.
doi: 10.1177/1533317512440493.

Physical and cognitive stimulation in Alzheimer Disease. the GAIA Project: a pilot study

Tiziana Maci  1 , Francesco Le Pira, Graziella Quattrocchi, Santo Di Nuovo, Vincenzo Perciavalle, Mario Zappia
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Physical and cognitive stimulation in Alzheimer Disease. the GAIA Project: a pilot study

Tiziana Maci et al. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2012 Mar.

Abstract

Several data suggest that physical activity and cognitive stimulation have a positive effect on the quality of life (QoL) of people with Alzheimer's disease (AD), slowing the decline due to the disease. A pilot project was undertaken to assess the effect of cognitive stimulation, physical activity, and socialization on patients with AD and their informal caregiver's QoL and mood. Fourteen patients with AD were randomly divided into active treatment group and control group. At the end of treatment, a significant improvement in apathy, anxiety, depression, and QoL in the active treatment group was found. Considering caregivers, those of the active treatment group exhibited a significant improvement in their mood and in their perception of patients' QoL. This study provides evidence that a combined approach based on cognitive stimulation, physical activity, and socialization is a feasible tool to improve mood and QoL in patients with AD and their caregivers.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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