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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2016 Jun;31(4):341-50.
doi: 10.1177/1533317515618801. Epub 2015 Dec 1.

Multisensory Stimulation as an Intervention Strategy for Elderly Patients With Severe Dementia: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Alba Sánchez  1 , M Pilar Marante-Moar  1 , Carmen Sarabia  2 , Carmen de Labra  1 , Trinidad Lorenzo  1 , Ana Maseda  1 , José Carlos Millán-Calenti  3
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Multisensory Stimulation as an Intervention Strategy for Elderly Patients With Severe Dementia: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Alba Sánchez et al. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2016 Jun.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to compare the effect of multisensory stimulation environment (MSSE) and one-to-one activity sessions in the symptomatology of elderly individuals with severe dementia. Thirty-two participants were randomly assigned to the following 3 groups: MSSE, activity, and control group. The MSSE and activity groups participated in two 30-minute weekly sessions over 16 weeks. Pre-, mid-, and posttrial; 8-week follow-up behavior; mood; cognitive status; and dementia severity were registered. Patients in the MSSE group demonstrated a significant improvement in the Neuropsychiatric Inventory and Bedford Alzheimer Nursing Severity Scale scores compared with the activity group. Both MSSE and activity groups showed an improvement during the intervention in the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory aggressive behavior factor and total score, with no significant differences between groups. The MSSE may have better effects on neuropsychiatric symptoms and dementia severity in comparison with one-to-one activity sessions in patients with severe dementia.

Keywords: elderly; multisensory stimulation; neuropsychiatric symptoms; randomized controlled trial; severe dementia.

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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.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trial (CONSORT) diagram. MSSE indicates multisensory stimulation environment.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) during the trial and follow-up—verbally agitated behavior (A), physical nonaggressive (B), aggressive behavior (C), and total score (D). Higher scores = worse agitated behavior. +Significant group-time interaction effect from pre- to posttrial (MSSE-control; P < .005). MSSE indicates multisensory stimulation environment.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) total scores during the trial and follow-up (higher scores = worse behavior). *Significant group—time interaction effect from pre- to posttrial (MSSE-activity; P < .005). MSSE indicates multisensory stimulation environment.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
The Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) total scores during the trial and follow-up (higher scores = worse mood). MSSE indicates multisensory stimulation environment.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Severe Mini-Mental State Examination (SMMSE) total scores during the trial and follow-up (lower scores = worse cognitive state). MSSE indicates multisensory stimulation environment.
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Bedford Alzheimer Nursing Severity Scale (BANS-S) total scores during the trial and follow-up (higher scores = more severe impairment). *Significant group–time interaction effect from pre- to posttrial (MSSE-activity; P < .005); +Significant group–time interaction effect from pre- to posttrial (MSSE-control; P < .005). MSSE indicates multisensory stimulation environment.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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