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The Multidisciplinary Approach to Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia. A Narrative Review of Non-Pharmacological Treatment
Zucchella C, Sinforiani E, Tamburin S, Federico A, Mantovani E, Bernini S, Casale R, Bartolo M.. Frontiers in neurology, 2018-12-13
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Plain-language summary
The role of NPT has been largely explored in AD and dementia. The main NPT types, which were reviewed here, include exercise and motor rehabilitation, cognitive rehabilitation, NPT for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, occupational therapy, psychological therapy, complementary and alternative medicine, and new technologies, including information and communication technologies, assistive technology and domotics, virtual reality, gaming, and telemedicine. We also summarized the role of NPT to address caregivers' burden. Although NPT is often applied in the multidisciplinary approach to AD and dementia, supporting evidence for their use is still preliminary. Some studies showed statistically significant effect of NPT on some outcomes, but their clinical significance is uncertain. Well-designed randomized controlled trials with innovative designs are needed to explore the efficacy of NPT in AD and dementia. Further studies are required to offer robust neurobiological grounds for the effect of NPT, and to examine its cost-efficacy profile in patients with dementia.
What this study adds
Evidence grade: High
This is a narrative review. This review of non-pharmacological treatments for Alzheimer's disease and dementia states that supporting evidence for their use is still preliminary, and that while some studies showed statistically significant effects on some outcomes, the clinical significance is uncertain. It concludes that well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed.
Taken from this record’s own fields, not from reading the paper. The grade is assigned from the abstract’s wording; what that means.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Zucchella, C., Sinforiani, E., Tamburin, S., Federico, A., Mantovani, E., Bernini, S., et al. (2018). The Multidisciplinary Approach to Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia. A Narrative Review of Non-Pharmacological Treatment. Frontiers in neurology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2018.01058
Vancouver
Zucchella C, Sinforiani E, Tamburin S, Federico A, Mantovani E, Bernini S, et al. The Multidisciplinary Approach to Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia. A Narrative Review of Non-Pharmacological Treatment. Frontiers in neurology. 2018. doi:10.3389/fneur.2018.01058. PMID: 30619031.
BibTeX
@article{zucchella2018-30619031,
author = {Zucchella, C. and Sinforiani, E. and Tamburin, S. and Federico, A. and Mantovani, E. and Bernini, S. and Casale, R. and Bartolo, M.},
title = {{The Multidisciplinary Approach to Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia. A Narrative Review of Non-Pharmacological Treatment}},
journal = {Frontiers in neurology},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.3389/fneur.2018.01058},
pmid = {30619031},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2018.01058}
}
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 names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- The role of NPT has been largely explored in AD and dementia.
- The main NPT types, which were reviewed here, include exercise and motor rehabilitation, cognitive rehabilitation, NPT for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, occupational therapy, psychological therapy, complementary and alternative medicine, and new technologies, including information and communication technologies, assistive technology and domotics, virtual reality, gaming, and telemedicine.
- We also summarized the role of NPT to address caregivers' burden.
- Although NPT is often applied in the multidisciplinary approach to AD and dementia, supporting evidence for their use is still preliminary.
- Some studies showed statistically significant effect of NPT on some outcomes, but their clinical significance is uncertain.
Why it matters
This review of non-pharmacological treatments for Alzheimer's disease and dementia states that supporting evidence for their use is still preliminary, and that while some studies showed statistically significant effects on some outcomes, the clinical significance is uncertain. It concludes that well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 51/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Frontiers in neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Frontiers in Neurology: journal h-index 162 (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 | 2018 — within 10 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 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 297 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 29.7 citations a year over 10 year(s) since 2018 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 94 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Michelangelo Bartolo: h-index 33 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Verona: institution h-index 763 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 30619031) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 51 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.01058
- PubMed: 30619031
- Original source →
- Free full text: Frontiers in Neurology →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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