Stem cell therapies and Alzheimer’s disease
2.2: Behavioural Therapies
There are several behavioural therapies that doctors use which have a focus on improving mood and well-being. Alongside medication, these therapies have the greatest effect. However, the effectiveness of these therapies is varied depending on the patient and their needs.
Cognitive stimulation therapy involves taking part in group exercises designed to improve memory and problem-solving skills and help patients continue to learn and stay socially engaged. Before the therapy starts the patient will work with a nurse on several baseline assessments such as memory, mood, and daily functioning. Moreover, cognitive rehabilitation takes place with a trained professional, such as an occupational therapist. This involves getting the parts of the brain that are working to help the parts that are not. This can be done through staying active, meaning that the patient can develop muscle strength and reduce risks of increased irritability and depression. 30 Reminiscence and life story work are helpful in stimulating old memories, by engaging in conversation about things that have occurred in the patient’s past. This can be done using photos, favourite possessions and keepsakes, or music. A person with dementia is more likely to be able to recall things from years ago than recent memories, and thus, Reminiscence can give people with AD a sense of competence and confidence through practising this skill. 31 If these general approaches do not work, more specialist advice may be needed. This could mean referral to a clinical psychologist or to a music therapist or a speech and language therapist. Lifestyle interventions, such as exercising, and dieting can be recommended by doctors. The benefits of this are discussed in the upcoming section. Determining the effectiveness of these therapies can be difficult because of the large number of unique therapies tested, the diversity of therapeutic aims (from improved overall quality of life to improvements in specific symptoms) and the diverse types of dementia stages. Lifestyle interventions can be very successful to patients in terms of improving mood and well-being, but do not enhance cognitive benefits in the long term or stop neurodegenerative decline. The main benefit of non-pharmacological interventions comes from the positive impact on mood, from which many studies have reported improved depression, anxiety, and quality of life.
2.3: Prevention
Changes in the brain occur years before the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s appear. These early brain changes suggest a possible window of opportunity to prevent symptoms. As more research is carried out regarding AD, studies have revealed lifestyle countermeasures which can prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s. Whil e these studies are preliminary and are hard to test for, they are preventative healthcare measures that health services have suggested for society to adopt which can reduce the individual’s chance of developing symptoms.
30 Treatment – Alzheimer’s disease. 2018. 31 Ibid.
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