Effects of an art-based intervention in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a randomised controlled trial

• Published in: Age and ageing Vol. 51; no. 7
• Main Authors: Lin, Rong, Luo, Yu-ting, Yan, Yuan-jiao, Huang, Chen-shan, Chen, Li-li, Chen, Ming-feng, Lin, Mo-jun, Li, Hong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.07.2022; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Auditory discrimination learning; Cognition; Cognitive ability; Cognitive functioning; Cognitive impairment; Deterioration; Executive function; Health status; Intervention; Mental depression; Older people; Quality of life; Storytelling; art; storytelling; non-pharmacological intervention; randomised controlled trial; mild cognitive impairment; older people; prevention
• ISSN: 0002-0729; 1468-2834; 1468-2834
• DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afac144

Abstract Background Art-based interventions may delay cognitive decline and improve health-related outcomes in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Objective To examine the effects of the Creative Expressive Arts-based Storytelling (CrEAS) program compared to active and waitlist controls on neurocognitive and other health-related outcomes in older people with MCI. Design Three-arm parallel-group, randomised controlled design. Participants One-hundred and thirty-five adults with MCI (mean age: 70.93 ± 6.91 years). Methods Participants were randomly assigned to intervention (CrEAS, n = 45), active control (n = 45) or waitlist control (n = 45) groups. Interventions were applied once per week for 24 weeks. The primary outcome was global cognitive function; secondary outcomes were specific cognition domains (memory, executive function, language and attention) and other health-related outcomes (anxiety, depression and quality of life [QoL]). All variables were measured at baseline (T0), 24-week follow-up (T1) and 48-week follow-up (T2). Results Participants in the CrEAS group showed significantly higher global cognitive function (adjusted mean difference [MD] = −0.905, 95% confidence interval [CI] −1.748 to −0.062; P = 0.038) and QoL (adjusted MD = −4.150, 95% CI -6.447 to −1.853; P = 0.001) and lower depression symptoms (adjusted MD = 2.902, 95% CI 0.699–5.104; P = 0.011) post-intervention at the 24-week follow-up compared with the active control group. At 48-week follow-up, only the Auditory Verbal Learning Test Immediate recall score was significantly improved compared with the active control group (adjusted MD = −2.941, 95% CI −5.262 to −0.620; P = 0.014). Conclusions Older adults with MCI who participated in the CrEAS program improved their neuropsychological outcomes and QoL and reduced their rate of cognitive deterioration.