title: Social robots in advanced dementia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pilot studies applying a humanoid robot (NAO), a pet robot (PARO) and a real animal (DOG) in therapy sessions of patients with dementia in a nursing home and a day care center.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the nursing home, patients were assigned by living units, based on dementia severity, to one of the three parallel therapeutic arms to compare: CONTROL, PARO and NAO (Phase 1) and CONTROL, PARO, and DOG (Phase 2). In the day care center, all patients received therapy with NAO (Phase 1) and PARO (Phase 2). Therapy sessions were held 2 days per week during 3 months. Evaluation, at baseline and follow-up, was carried out by blind raters using: the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), the Severe Mini Mental State Examination (sMMSE), the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), the Apathy Scale for Institutionalized Patients with Dementia Nursing Home version (APADEM-NH), the Apathy Inventory (AI) and the Quality of Life Scale (QUALID). Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests performed by a blinded investigator.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the nursing home, 101 patients (Phase 1) and 110 patients (Phase 2) were included. There were no significant differences at baseline. The relevant changes at follow-up were: (Phase 1) patients in the robot groups showed an improvement in apathy; patients in NAO group showed a decline in cognition as measured by the MMSE scores, but not the sMMSE; the robot groups showed no significant changes between them; (Phase 2) QUALID scores increased in the PARO group. In the day care center, 20 patients (Phase 1) and 17 patients (Phase 2) were included. The main findings were: (Phase 1) improvement in the NPI irritability and the NPI total score; (Phase 2) no differences were observed at follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit, CIEN Foundation, Carlos III Institute of Health, Alzheimer Center Reina Sofía Foundation Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Meritxell
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valentí Soler
authors.affiliation: Research Unit, CIEN Foundation, Carlos III Institute of Health, Alzheimer Center Reina Sofía Foundation Madrid, Spain ; CIBERSAM-Carlos III Institute of Health Madrid Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Agüera-Ortiz
authors.affiliation: Research Unit, CIEN Foundation, Carlos III Institute of Health, Alzheimer Center Reina Sofía Foundation Madrid, Spain ; Maria Wolff Foundation Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olazarán Rodríguez
authors.affiliation: Health Care Area, Alzheimer Center Reina Sofía Foundation Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mendoza Rebolledo
authors.affiliation: Health Care Area, Alzheimer Center Reina Sofía Foundation Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Almudena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pérez Muñoz
authors.affiliation: Health Care Area, Alzheimer Center Reina Sofía Foundation Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rodríguez Pérez
authors.affiliation: Health Care Area, Alzheimer Center Reina Sofía Foundation Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Osa Ruiz
authors.affiliation: Health Care Area, Alzheimer Center Reina Sofía Foundation Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barrios Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Health Care Area, Alzheimer Center Reina Sofía Foundation Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Vanesa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Herrero Cano
authors.affiliation: Health Care Area, Alzheimer Center Reina Sofía Foundation Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carrasco Chillón
authors.affiliation: Health Care Area, Alzheimer Center Reina Sofía Foundation Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Felipe Ruiz
authors.affiliation: Research Unit, CIEN Foundation, Carlos III Institute of Health, Alzheimer Center Reina Sofía Foundation Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: López Alvarez
authors.affiliation: Research Unit, CIEN Foundation, Carlos III Institute of Health, Alzheimer Center Reina Sofía Foundation Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: León Salas
authors.affiliation: RoboticsLab, Rey Juan Carlos University Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cañas Plaza
authors.affiliation: RoboticsLab, Rey Juan Carlos University Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martín Rico
authors.affiliation: RoboticsLab, Rey Juan Carlos University Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Abella Dago
authors.affiliation: CIBERNED-Carlos III Institute of Health Madrid, Spain ; Applied Research Area, National Center of Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martínez Martín
keywords: Alzheimer disease; animal assisted therapy; apathy; dementia; human-robot interaction; robotics; technology; therapy