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Shiatsu as an adjuvant therapy for depression in patients with Alzheimer's disease: A pilot study
Giuseppe Lanza1, Stella Silvia Centonze2, Gera Destro3
1Oasi Research Institute - IRCCS, Troina, Italy.
Objectives:
Among the complementary and alternative medicine, Shiatsu might represent a feasible option for depression in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We evaluated Shiatsu on mood, cognition, and functional independence in patients undergoing physical activity.
Design:
Single-blind randomized controlled study.
Setting:
Dedicated Community Center for patients with AD.
Interventions:
AD patients with depression were randomly assigned to the "active group" (Shiatsu + physical activity) or the "control group" (physical activity alone). Shiatsu was performed by the same therapist once a week for ten months.
Main Outcome Measures:
Global cognitive functioning (Mini Mental State Examination - MMSE), depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale - GDS), and functional status (Activity of Daily Living - ADL, Instrumental ADL - IADL) were assessed before and after the intervention.
Results:
We found a within-group improvement of MMSE, ADL, and GDS in the active group. However, the analysis of differences before and after the interventions showed a statistically significant decrease of GDS score only in the active group.
Conclusions:
The combination of Shiatsu and physical activity improved depression in AD patients compared to physical activity alone. The pathomechanism might involve neuroendocrine-mediated effects of Shiatsu on neural circuits implicated in mood and affect regulation.