Dog-assisted physiotherapy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a randomized controlled pilot study.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Animal-Assisted Therapy

Background:

• Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is an intervention using animals as co-therapists, primarily studied in dementia patients.
• The efficacy of AAT as a physiotherapy for neuromuscular disorders, specifically amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), remains unexplored.
• Investigating AAT's potential benefits for ALS patients is crucial for expanding therapeutic options.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of dog-assisted therapy on motor functions in ALS patients.
• To assess the effect of AAT on the psychological status of individuals with ALS.
• To compare AAT outcomes with traditional physiotherapy in an ALS population.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled pilot study involving 60 hospitalized ALS patients.
• Intervention group received AAT (dog-assisted therapy) for three days a week, replacing traditional morning physiotherapy.
• Outcome measures included motor tests (Timed Up and Go, SPPB, 6MWT, 10MWT) and psychological assessment (HADS).

Main Results:

• Both AAT and control groups showed motor improvements; however, AAT group demonstrated statistically significant improvements in SPPB subscales and HADS scores.
• Post-treatment values for nearly all motor and psychological measures were significantly better in the AAT group compared to the control group.
• P-values ranged from <0.0001 to 0.01, indicating strong statistical significance for AAT's benefits.

Conclusions:

• Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is comparable to traditional physiotherapy for ALS patients.
• AAT demonstrates superior beneficial effects on both motor and psychological symptoms in ALS.
• AAT emerges as a potent rehabilitation strategy for ALS, potentially enhancing quality of life.