title: [Mindfulness-based stimulation in advanced Alzheimer's disease: A comparative, non-inferiority, clinical pilot study].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A longitudinal study was conducted in order to analyze the feasibility, safety, and effects of the practice of mindfulness, relaxation and cognitive stimulation on the evolution of Alzheimer's disease, with the aim of testing the equivalence of these interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  There were a total of 168 participants with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) treated with donepezil. In the present article, the 21 participants with advanced AD who completed a follow-up period of 24 months are presented. The participants were grouped into three experimental groups (mindfulness, relaxation, and cognitive stimulation) and one control group. Each group carried out three weekly sessions with bi-annual follow-up measurements (cognition: CAMCOG and MMSE; functionality: RDRS; psychopathology: NPI). Non-parametric analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cognitive function and functionality scores showed no significant differences between the groups. However, the scores in cognitive function of the mindfulness group and the cognitive stimulation group did not decrease in an intra-group analysis. In NPI, there were significant differences between the mindfulness group and the control group by the end of the study (P<.017).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data showed that the treatment with donepezil in combination with mindfulness or cognitive stimulation presented a better clinical evolution than the pharmacological treatment alone or combined with relaxation. These data suggest that these therapeutic alternatives should be investigated further, and that the non-pharmacological treatments should be recommended in clinical practice in order to control the evolution of AD in the long term. In order to confirm these findings, a larger study is necessary.
authors: ISCAN Servicios Integrales, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España; Asociación Canaria para el desarrollo de la Salud a través de la Atención, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España; Grupo de Investigación de Mindfulness y Salud, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España. Electronic address: domingoj.quintana@gmail.com.
authors: Domingo Jesús
authors: DJ
authors: Quintana Hernández
authors: Grupo de Investigación de Mindfulness y Salud, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España; Departamento de Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamientos Psicológicos, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España.
authors: María Teresa
authors: MT
authors: Miró Barrachina
authors: Departamento de Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamientos Psicológicos, Universidad de La Laguna, Tenerife, España.
authors: Ignacio
authors: I
authors: Ibáñez Fernández
authors: Departamento de Matemáticas, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España.
authors: Angelo
authors: A
authors: Santana del Pino
authors: Asociación Canaria para el desarrollo de la Salud a través de la Atención, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España.
authors: Jaime
authors: J
authors: Rojas Hernández
authors: Centro Sociosanitario El Pino, Grupo Sanitario ICOT, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España.
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: Rodríguez García
authors: Departamento de Matemáticas, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, España.
authors: María del Pino
authors: Mdel P
authors: Quintana Montesdeoca
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D064866:Mindfulness; D010865:Pilot Projects
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Atención plena o mindfulness; Cognición; Cognition; Enfermedad de Alzheimer; Funcionalidad; Functional status; Mindfulness; Psicopatología; Psychopathology