Talk therapy could improve mental health of people with dementia

People living with dementia may benefit from talking therapies available on the NHS, if they suffer from anxiety or depression, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. Mental health problems such as depression and anxiety are very common in people with dementia, and previous studies estimate that 38% of people with mild dementia are affected by the conditions. However, the new study, published in eClinicalMedicine , is the first to assess whether talking therapies that are routinely delivered within healthcare settings might be helpful to relieve symptoms. Researchers examined data from 2,515,402 people, who had clinically significant anxiety or depression and completed a course of treatment via the national 'Improving Access to Psychological Therapies' (IAPT) service in England between 2012 and 2019. IAPT is a free NHS service and offers evidence-based therapies for treating anxiety and depression, including CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), counselling and guided self-help, with sessions delivered either face-to-face individually, in groups, or online. To be counted in the study, participants had to have either: Clinical levels of depressive symptoms as measured using a standard questionnaire* which considers factors such as a lack of interest in doing things, issues with sleep, and feelings of low mood. Clinical levels of anxiety based on a standard measure** which asks patients questions about how much they worry or have trouble relaxing.