Effects of Mental Imagery on Quality of Life, Cognitive, and Emotional Status in Older Adults with Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background/Objectives: Dementia is a syndrome which involves cognitive and motor problems such as memory and motor control that impacts the individuals’ quality of life. In mental imagery (MI) technique, motor acts are mentally rehearsed without any overt body movements. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of MI on the quality of life, cognitive, and emotional status of older adults with an early stage of dementia. Methods: The present randomized controlled trial consisted of 160 participants. The sample from an Athens Day Care Center of the Alzheimer Association was randomized to (a) the MI and exercise group (intervention group, n = 55), (b) the only exercise group (1st control group, n = 52), and (c) the neither MI nor exercise group (2nd control group, n = 53). Participants engaged in a total of 24 physiotherapy sessions, each lasting approximately 45 min, scheduled twice weekly over a 12-week period. They performed three assessments: (a) one week prior to the program, (b) one and a half months, and (c) after the program. The intervention group performed a 30 min MI with exercise program content immediately following every physiotherapy exercise session. Walking While Talking Test (WWITT), the Euro-Qol 5-Dimensions 5-Level of severity scale (Euro-Qol 5D-5L scale), the Short-Form of Geriatric Depression Scale (SF-GDS), and the Short Anxiety Screening Test (SAST) were used to assess cognitive status, emotional status, and quality of life. Results: A total of 160 participants (43 men, 117 women, with MMSE M = 23.20 SD = 0.15) took part in this study in which most reported holding a university degree (n = 77), were married (n = 101), and had loss of memory as the 1st symptom of dementia (n= 117). The Friedman test revealed statistically significant differences across the three groups on (a) the WWITTmistakes (X2 = 14.95, df = 2, p = 0.001) and WWITTtime (X2 = 13.35, df = 2, p = 0.01), (b) the total Euro-Qol 5D-5L scale (X2 = 11.87.62, df = 2, p = 0.003) and quality of life on the measuring day (X2 = 25.59, df = 2, p = 0.00), (c) the SF-GDS (X2 = 6.54, df = 2, p = 0.038), and (d) the SAST (X2 = 39.907.62, df = 2, p = 0.00). The Friedman test with post hoc Wilcoxon analysis revealed that the mean scores for the intervention group and the 1st control were significantly better than the 2nd control group in many dependent variables. Conclusions: The results indicate that incorporating MI can positively influence cognitive status, emotional status, and the quality of life in older adults diagnosed with early-stage dementia.