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66/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 66 out of 100. Caregiving

Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis

Introduction Nonpharmacological therapies (NPTs) can improve the quality of life (QoL) of people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their carers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the best evidence on the effects of NPTs in AD and related disorders (ADRD) by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis of the entire field. Methods Existing reviews and major electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The deadline for study inclusion was September 15, 2008. Intervention categories and outcome domains were predefined by consensus. Two researchers working together detected 1,313 candidate studies of which 179 RCTs belonging to 26 intervention categories were selected. Cognitive deterioration had to be documented in all participants, and degenerative etiology (indicating dementia) had to be present or presumed in at least 80% of the subjects. Evidence tables, meta-analysis and summaries of results were elaborated by the first author and reviewed by author subgroups. Methods for rating level of evidence and grading practice recommendations were adapted from the Oxford Center for Evidence-Based Medicine. Results Grade A treatment recommendation was achieved for institutionalization delay (multicomponent interventions for the caregiver, CG). Grade B recommendation was reached for the person with dementia (PWD) for: improvement in cognition (cognitive training, cognitive stimulation, multicomponent interventions for the PWD); activities of daily living (ADL) (ADL training, multicomponent interventions for the PWD); behavior (cognitive stimulation, multicomponent interventions for the PWD, behavioral interventions, professional CG training); mood (multicomponent interventions for the PWD); QoL (multicomponent interventions for PWD and CG) and restraint prevention (professional CG training); for the CG, grade B was also reached for: CG mood (CG education, CG support, multicomponent interventions for the CG); CG psychological well-being (cognitive stimulation, multicomponent interventions for the CG); CG QoL (multicomponent interventions for PWD and CG). Conclusion NPTs emerge as a useful, versatile and potentially cost-effective approach to improve outcomes and QoL in ADRD for both the PWD and CG.

Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

APA 7th

Olazarán, J., Reisberg, B., Clare, L., Cruz, I., Peña-Casanova, J., Del Ser, T., et al. (2010). Nonpharmacological therapies in Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review of efficacy. Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders. https://doi.org/10.1159/000316119

Vancouver

Olazarán J, Reisberg B, Clare L, Cruz I, Peña-Casanova J, Del Ser T, et al. Nonpharmacological therapies in Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review of efficacy. Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders. 2010. doi:10.1159/000316119. PMID: 20838046.

BibTeX

@article{olazaran2010-20838046,
  author  = {Olazarán, J. and Reisberg, B. and Clare, L. and Cruz, I. and Peña-Casanova, J. and Del Ser, T. and Woods, B. and Beck, C. and others},
  title   = {{Nonpharmacological therapies in Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review of efficacy}},
  journal = {Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders},
  year    = {2010},
  doi     = {10.1159/000316119},
  pmid    = {20838046},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1159/000316119}
}

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Key findings

Evidence tables, meta-analysis and summaries of results were elaborated by the first author and reviewed by author subgroups.
Results Grade A treatment recommendation was achieved for institutionalization delay (multicomponent interventions for the caregiver, CG).

Why it matters

Reviewing 179 randomized trials of non-drug therapies, the strongest evidence (Grade A) was for multicomponent caregiver interventions delaying placement in a care facility. This is about managing care and quality of life, not curing or preventing the underlying disease.

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Study details

Study designsystematic review
Evidence strengthHigh

How this study scored 66/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a systematic review of all the studies on the question. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders)
Journal's citation record	1 / 4	Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders: journal h-index 149 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	12 / 12	A systematic review of all the studies on the question
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	1 / 5	2010 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	0 / 4	Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Effect reported	0 / 3	No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Studied in people	0 / 3	Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Randomized / blinded	0 / 2	A review of other studies — randomization is not credited here
Times cited	6 / 7	Cited 935 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	5 / 5	51.9 citations a year over 18 year(s) since 2010
Impact for its field and year	3 / 6	Cited 6.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	4 / 6	Cited by 30 other studies in this library
Still being cited	3 / 4	Cited 88 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	1 / 4	Last-listed author Rubén Múñiz: h-index 15 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	3 / 3	University of Washington: institution h-index 3,540 (OpenAlex)
Multicenter collaboration	3 / 3	OpenAlex lists 19 institution(s) in 8 countries
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 20838046)
Free to read	0 / 2	Behind a paywall — scores zero
Total	66 / 100	—

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