Cognitive stimulation of patients with dementia: Preliminary results

Abstract

Abstract We present the first results of a cognitive stimulation programme for patients with dementia. Fifty‐six subjects entered a study involving two parallel, randomized groups. Assessment was blind for the main criteria (neuropsychological tests). Twenty‐nine patients were stimulated and were compared to 27 non‐stimulated patients. The stimulated group attended 10 stimulation sessions over 5 weeks. Each group was assessed on the first and seventh week. Following stimulation, there was significant improvement of Mini‐Mental State (MMS) scores ( p < 0.01) and increased performance for the Word List Memory Test (one‐tailed p = 0.09) in the Consortium to establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) battery. Verbal fluency remained unchanged. Stimulation tended to improve items of an additional battery (one‐tailed p < 0.01). The composite sum of test scores showed a significant difference in favour of the stimulated group. These results were positively correlated with the initial MMS scores and negatively with education. The Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale did not show a significant change. We concluded that global stimulation of cognitive functions improves certain parameters among demented outpatients.