Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Improving Mood in an Older Adult with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Case Report

This study investigated the feasibility of a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program for improving mood and quality of life in an older woman with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), depression, and anxiety. The program comprised eight 30-minute weekly sessions; interventions included behavioral activation, relaxation, and cognitive reconstruction, in which the patient's caregiver also participated. The patient's condition was assessed before and immediately after the intervention. After 3 and 12 months, the caregiver reported the patient's behavioral and psychological symptoms by using self-reported psychological scales for depression, anxiety, and quality of life. Although CBT helped to improve mood and quality of life in the short term (3 months), the results were not sustained over the long term (12 months). Even though improvement in psychological symptoms did not persist and only one patient with MCI was evaluated, these results suggest that CBT is a feasible nonpharmacological treatment option and provide preliminary support for wider use of CBT in Japan. CBT programs should be tailored to the needs of patients with MCI and dementia, and regular follow-up sessions should be used to evaluate program feasibility and improvement in patient mental health.