Breaking Through the Fog: Combating Depression in Older Adults with Alzheimer’s

Published on September 13, 2023

Imagine being lost in a thick fog, not knowing which direction to take. That’s what it can feel like for older adults with Alzheimer’s who also battle depression. But fear not, because a recent systematic review and meta-analysis has found a beacon of hope: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Think of CBT as a knowledgeable guide, helping these individuals navigate their way out of the fog of depression. By examining 11 pertinent articles, this study revealed that CBT can effectively reduce depression in individuals with Alzheimer’s. It’s like the fog slowly dissipating and giving way to a bright, sunny day. However, while the findings are promising, more research is needed because the existing studies vary greatly and use different protocols. So grab your explorer’s hat and delve into the full article to learn more about how CBT can bring clarity and happiness to those living with Alzheimer’s.

ObjectivesThis systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to provide an analysis of the published data about the effects of cognitive behavioral therapies on the depression of older adults with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.MethodsThis study was performed following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The search was performed between March and April 2023, using four electronic databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Cinhal and Scopus. Different keywords combined with Boolean operators were utilized. Only 11 articles were included out of the initial 212.ResultsCognitive behavioral therapy was found to reduce depression in individuals with Alzheimer’s, including treatments with low frequency but a longer intervention time.ConclusionThis systematic review and meta-analysis found that the psychosocial therapy cognitive behavioral therapy is effective in improving depression in individuals with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. However, results are inconclusive due to the disparity of the findings and the heterogeneity of the applied protocols, so more studies are needed on this topic.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=416396, CRD42023416396.

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