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Efficacy of Group Reminiscence Therapy on Cognition, Depression, Neuropsychiatric Symptoms, and Activities of Daily Living for Patients With Alzheimer Disease
Li M, Lyu JH, Zhang Y, Gao ML, Li R, Mao PX, Li WJ, Ma X et al.. Journal of geriatric psychiatry and neurology, 2019-10-23
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
The current study aimed to investigate the effects of group reminiscence therapy on cognitive function, depression, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and activities of daily living in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer disease (AD). A single-blind randomized parallel-design controlled trial was conducted between May 1, 2017, and April 30, 2018. Ninety patients with mild-to-moderate AD recruited from Beijing Geriatric Hospital were randomly allocated into intervention (n = 45) and control groups (n = 45). In the intervention group, group-based reminiscence therapy was performed in two 30- to 45-minute sessions weekly for 12 weeks. Control participants received only conventional drug treatments and routine daily care. Alzheimer disease-related symptoms were evaluated using the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive section, the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD), the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, and the Barthel Index. Four time points were set for data collection: baseline (before treatment), 4 weeks (during treatment), 12 weeks (end of treatment), and 24 weeks (12 weeks posttreatment). χ 2 Tests, independent t tests, repeated-measures analysis of variance, and Bonferroni tests were used for data analysis. Significant improvements in depressive and neuropsychiatric symptoms were found in the intervention group compared to the control group ( P t = 2.076, P = .041) and 24 weeks follow-up ( t = 3.834, P = .000) compared to controls. Group reminiscence therapy was effective for improving depressive symptoms and was beneficial for treating neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with AD.
Key findings
- Significant improvements in depressive and neuropsychiatric symptoms were found in the intervention group compared to the control group ( P t = 2.076, P = .041) and 24 weeks follow-up ( t = 3.834, P = .000) compared to controls.
Why it matters
In this trial, group reminiscence therapy improved depressive and neuropsychiatric symptoms in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease compared with controls. It addresses symptom management, not curing or preventing the disease.
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Study details
- Participants45
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 46/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design and effect reported because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 44 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 46 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of geriatric psychiatry and neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology: journal h-index 105 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 45 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 41 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 5.1 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 18 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Capital Medical University: institution h-index 643 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 31645180) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 44 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 44 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 46 out of 100. |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription Unpaywall, Europe PMC and OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 10 Oct 2026), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Li, M., Lyu, J. H., Zhang, Y., Gao, M. L., Li, R., Mao, P. X., et al. (2020). Efficacy of Group Reminiscence Therapy on Cognition, Depression, Neuropsychiatric Symptoms, and Activities of Daily Living for Patients With Alzheimer Disease. Journal of geriatric psychiatry and neurology. https://doi.org/10.1177/0891988719882099
Vancouver
Li M, Lyu JH, Zhang Y, Gao ML, Li R, Mao PX, et al. Efficacy of Group Reminiscence Therapy on Cognition, Depression, Neuropsychiatric Symptoms, and Activities of Daily Living for Patients With Alzheimer Disease. Journal of geriatric psychiatry and neurology. 2020. doi:10.1177/0891988719882099. PMID: 31645180.
BibTeX
@article{li2020-31645180,
author = {Li, M. and Lyu, J. H. and Zhang, Y. and Gao, M. L. and Li, R. and Mao, P. X. and Li, W. J. and Ma, X. and others},
title = {{Efficacy of Group Reminiscence Therapy on Cognition, Depression, Neuropsychiatric Symptoms, and Activities of Daily Living for Patients With Alzheimer Disease}},
journal = {Journal of geriatric psychiatry and neurology},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1177/0891988719882099},
pmid = {31645180},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1177/0891988719882099}
}
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