Effect of Art Therapy on Cognitive and Hand Functions of Alzheimer's Patients

NCT ID: NCT07163377

Last Updated: 2025-09-09

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

50 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-09-30

Study Completion Date

2026-01-31

Brief Summary

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This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the effects of art therapy on cognitive functions and hand functions in individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by decline in memory, executive functions, and daily living activities. In addition, fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination are significantly impaired, limiting independence in daily tasks.

Art therapy is a non-pharmacological, low-cost, and feasible intervention that involves creative activities such as mandala painting, collage, clay modeling, and drawing. It has been shown to support cognitive performance, emotional well-being, and motor coordination by stimulating neuroplasticity. However, evidence focusing specifically on its impact on hand function in Alzheimer's patients remains limited.

In this study, 50 participants aged 60 years and older with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease will be randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group will attend art therapy sessions twice a week for 8 weeks (60 minutes per session), while the control group will receive no intervention. Cognitive functions will be assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and hand functions will be evaluated with the Nine Hole Peg Test (NHPT) and surface electromyography (sEMG) of forearm muscles.

The results of this study are expected to provide valuable evidence on the role of art therapy in supporting both cognitive and motor rehabilitation in Alzheimer's disease, potentially contributing to improved daily living independence and quality of life.

Detailed Description

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Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by impairments in memory, executive functions, attention, and activities of daily living. As the disease advances, fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination are also affected, limiting independence in self-care and functional tasks. Non-pharmacological approaches that target both cognitive and motor abilities are increasingly emphasized as complementary strategies to pharmacological treatment.

Art therapy is a creative intervention that incorporates activities such as mandala coloring, collage making, clay modeling, and drawing. Previous studies have shown that art therapy may stimulate neuroplasticity, improve attention and memory, reduce anxiety and behavioral symptoms, and enhance quality of life in individuals with dementia. However, limited evidence exists regarding its specific effects on fine motor performance and hand function in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

This randomized controlled trial is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of an 8-week structured art therapy program on cognitive functions and hand dexterity in individuals with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Participants (n=50) will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving art therapy twice weekly for 60 minutes per session, or a control group receiving no intervention.

Outcome measures include the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for global cognitive function, surface electromyography (sEMG) of forearm muscles to assess motor activity, and the Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT) to evaluate fine motor dexterity. Assessments will be conducted at baseline and post-intervention.

The study hypothesizes that participants in the art therapy group will demonstrate significant improvements in cognitive performance and fine motor abilities compared to the control group. The results are expected to provide evidence supporting the integration of art therapy as a feasible, low-cost, and non-pharmacological intervention in the rehabilitation of individuals with Alzheimer's disease.

Conditions

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Alzheimer Disease

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Art Therapy Session

The intervention group will receive art therapy sessions over 8 weeks, twice weekly, each lasting 60 minutes. The program includes mandala coloring (weeks 1-2), collage making (weeks 3-4), clay modeling (weeks 5-6), free drawing/painting (week 7), and a participant's choice activity (week 8).

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Experimental Group

Intervention Type OTHER

Participants in the intervention group will undergo art therapy sessions

Control Group

Participants in the control group will not receive any intervention

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Experimental Group

Participants in the intervention group will undergo art therapy sessions

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Being 60 years of age or older
* Having a diagnosis of mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease
* Possessing the physical and cognitive capacity to participate in art therapy interventions
* Providing informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

* Being in the severe stage of Alzheimer's disease
* Having a history of severe psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia or major depression
* Having a physical disability that prevents the use of the upper extremities
* Being unable to participate in the intervention due to visual or hearing impairments
Minimum Eligible Age

60 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Fenerbahce University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Burcu AKKURT

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Mine SEYYAH, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Fenerbahce University

Locations

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Fenerbahçe Üniversitesi

Ataşehir, Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)

Site Status

Countries

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Turkey (Türkiye)

Central Contacts

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Mine SEYYAH, Ph.D.

Role: CONTACT

+90 505 833 69 08

Sümeyye Akçay, Ph.D.

Role: CONTACT

+90 542 400 25 53

Facility Contacts

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Mine SEYYAH, Ph.D.

Role: primary

+90 505 833 69 08

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

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90.2025fbu

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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