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Meta-Analysis
. 2014 Jan 22;2014(1):CD009125.
doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009125.pub2.

Psychological treatments for depression and anxiety in dementia and mild cognitive impairment

Vasiliki Orgeta  1 , Afifa Qazi, Aimee E Spector, Martin Orrell
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Psychological treatments for depression and anxiety in dementia and mild cognitive impairment

Vasiliki Orgeta et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. .

Update in

Abstract

Background: Experiencing anxiety and depression is very common in people with dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Psychological interventions have been suggested as a potential treatment for these populations. Current research suggests that people with dementia and MCI have limited opportunities for psychological treatments aimed at improving their well-being. A systematic review of the evidence on their effectiveness is likely to be useful in terms of improving outcomes for patients and for future recommendations for practice.

Objectives: The main objective of this review was to assess the effectiveness of psychological interventions in reducing anxiety and depression in people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Search methods: We searched the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group Specialized Register and additional sources for both published and unpublished data.

Selection criteria: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing a psychological intervention with usual care or a placebo intervention (social contact control) in people with dementia or MCI.

Data collection and analysis: Two review authors worked independently to select trials, extract data and assess studies for risk of bias, using a data extraction form. We contacted authors when further information was not available from the published articles.

Main results: Six RCTs involving 439 participants with dementia were included in the review, but no studies of participants with MCI were identified. The studies included people with dementia living in the community or in nursing home care and were carried out in several countries. Only one of the studies was classified as low risk of bias. Five studies were at unclear or high risk of bias due to uncertainties around randomisation, blinding and selective reporting of results. The studies used the different psychological approaches of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy and counselling. Two studies were of multimodal interventions including a specific psychological therapy. The comparison groups received either usual care, attention-control educational programs, diagnostic feedback or services slightly above usual care.Meta-analysis showed a positive effect of psychological treatments on depression (6 trials, 439 participants, standardised mean difference (SMD) -0.22; 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.41 to -0.03, moderate quality evidence) and on clinician-rated anxiety (2 trials, 65 participants, mean difference (MD) -4.57; 95% CI -7.81 to -1.32, low quality evidence), but not on self-rated anxiety (2 trials, SMD 0.05; 95% CI -0.44 to 0.54) or carer-rated anxiety (1 trial, MD -2.40; 95% CI -4.96 to 0.16). Results were compatible with both benefit and harm on the secondary outcomes of patient quality of life, activities of daily living (ADLs), neuropsychiatric symptoms and cognition, or on carers' self-rated depressive symptoms, but most of the studies did not measure these outcomes. There were no reports of adverse events.

Authors' conclusions: We found evidence that psychological interventions added to usual care can reduce symptoms of depression and clinician-rated anxiety for people with dementia. We conclude that psychological interventions have the potential to improve patient well-being. Further high quality studies are needed to investigate which treatments are most effective and to evaluate the effect of psychological interventions in people with MCI.

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Conflict of interest statement

The second, third and fourth author of this review are investigators in one of the included studies. There are no other known conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study flow diagram.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Risk of bias graph: review authors' judgements about each risk of bias item presented as percentages across all included studies.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Risk of bias summary: review authors' judgements about each risk of bias item for each included study.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Forest plot of comparison: 1 Psychological treatment versus treatment as usual, outcome: 1.1 Depression.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Forest plot of comparison: 1 Psychological treatment versus treatment as usual, outcome: 1.2 Anxiety RAID.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Forest plot of comparison: 1 Psychological treatment versus treatment as usual, outcome: 1.3 Anxiety (self ratings).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Forest plot of comparison: 1 Psychological treatment versus treatment as usual, outcome: 1.4 Anxiety NPI‐A.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Forest plot of comparison: 2 Psychological intervention versus treatment as usual, outcome: 2.1 Quality of life (self ratings).
Figure 9
Figure 9
Forest plot of comparison: 2 Psychological intervention versus treatment as usual, outcome: 2.2 Quality of life (proxy ratings).
Figure 10
Figure 10
Forest plot of comparison: 2 Psychological intervention versus treatment as usual, outcome: 2.3 Activities of daily living.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Forest plot of comparison: 2 Psychological intervention versus treatment as usual, outcome: 2.4 Neuropsychiatric symptoms.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Forest plot of comparison: 2 Psychological intervention versus treatment as usual, outcome: 2.5 Cognition (Mini‐Mental State Examination).
Figure 13
Figure 13
Forest plot of comparison: 3 Psychological intervention versus treatment as usual, outcome: 3.1 Carer depression.
Analysis 1.1
Analysis 1.1
Comparison 1 Psychological treatment versus treatment as usual, Outcome 1 Depression.
Analysis 1.2
Analysis 1.2
Comparison 1 Psychological treatment versus treatment as usual, Outcome 2 Anxiety RAID.
Analysis 1.3
Analysis 1.3
Comparison 1 Psychological treatment versus treatment as usual, Outcome 3 Anxiety Self ratings.
Analysis 1.4
Analysis 1.4
Comparison 1 Psychological treatment versus treatment as usual, Outcome 4 Anxiety NPI‐A.
Analysis 2.1
Analysis 2.1
Comparison 2 Psychological intervention versus treatment as usual, Outcome 1 Quality of Life (Self ratings).
Analysis 2.2
Analysis 2.2
Comparison 2 Psychological intervention versus treatment as usual, Outcome 2 Quality of Life (Proxy ratings).
Analysis 2.3
Analysis 2.3
Comparison 2 Psychological intervention versus treatment as usual, Outcome 3 Activities of daily living.
Analysis 2.4
Analysis 2.4
Comparison 2 Psychological intervention versus treatment as usual, Outcome 4 Neuropsychiatric symptoms.
Analysis 2.5
Analysis 2.5
Comparison 2 Psychological intervention versus treatment as usual, Outcome 5 Cognition (Mini Mental State Examination).
Analysis 3.1
Analysis 3.1
Comparison 3 Psychological intervention versus treatment as usual, Outcome 1 Carer Depression.
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References

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