BackgroundAnxiety and depression are common in people with dementia and mild
cognitive impairment (MCI), but there is uncertainty about the
effectiveness of both pharmacological and psychological therapies.AimsTo evaluate the evidence of effectiveness of psychological treatments in
treating depression and anxiety in people with dementia and MCI.MethodWe carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised
controlled trials (RCTs) of psychological treatment versus usual care in
people with dementia and MCI. Primary outcomes were symptoms of anxiety
and depression. Secondary outcomes were quality of life, ability to
perform daily activities, neuropsychiatric symptoms, cognition and
caregivers' self-rated depressive symptoms.ResultsWe included six RCTs, involving 439 participants with dementia, which
used cognitive–behavioural therapy, interpersonal therapy, counselling or
multimodal interventions including a specific psychological therapy. We
found beneficial effects for both depression and anxiety. Overall, the
quality of the evidence was moderate for depression and low for anxiety,
due to the methodological limitations of the studies we identified and
the limited number of trials.ConclusionsThe evidence from six RCTs suggests that psychological treatments are
effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety for people with
dementia. There is a need for high-quality, multicentre trials including
standardised, well-defined interventions.Declarations of interestA.Q., A.S. and M.O. are investigators in one of the included studies.
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