Rhythmic sensory stimulation and Alzheimer's disease. (1st June 2016) - Clements-Cortes, Amy
Abstract : Background : Rhythmic Sensory Simulation (RSS) is stimulation of neural activity with sound applied rhythmically to the body or auditory system. The RSS and Alzheimer's (AD) study sought to assess the behavioural effect of stimulating AD patients with sound-activated vibro-tactile stimulation of the somatosensory system at a rate of 40 HZ. Objective : To present an overview of the study with a look to the literature on sound stimulation with persons having AD. Methods : In this AB cross-over study design, 18 AD participants each received a total of 13 sessions. Treatment consisted of: 40 HZ stimulation and visual stimulation, each provided 6 times. Data sources included: the St. Louis University Mental Status Test, the Observed Emotion Rating Scale and behavioural observation by the researcher. Discussion : Quantitative and qualitative data analysis will be shared, alongside discussion on limitations and future research. Conclusions : With the incidence of AD and dementia expected to increase, further research and new treatments are needed to enhance quality of life. This study sheds light on a new innovative treatment.