Fritz C L, Farver T B, Kass P H, Hart L A
Department of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California, Davis 95616, USA.
J Nerv Ment Dis. 1995 Jul;183(7):459-63. doi: 10.1097/00005053-199507000-00006.
Interactions with companion animals have been shown to have socializing and calming effects for Alzheimer's patients in an institutional setting. Sixty-four Alzheimer's patients living in the private home were studied, through medical records and information provided by caregivers, to determine what effect association with a companion animal had on the progression of cognitive decline and the manifestation of concomitant noncognitive symptoms. Prevalence of episodes of verbal aggression and anxiety was reported less frequently in 34 patients who were exposed to companion animals compared with patients who were not exposed. Significantly fewer mood disorders were reported in patients who were attached to their pets compared with patients who were not attached. There was no significant difference in the rate of cognitive decline between pet-exposed and nonexposed patients as measured by three standard indices. This study lends preliminary support to the belief that interaction with pets can aid in tempering feelings of agitation and aggression in Alzheimer's patients.
在机构环境中，与伴侣动物的互动已被证明对阿尔茨海默病患者具有社交和安抚作用。通过医疗记录和护理人员提供的信息，对64名居住在私人住宅中的阿尔茨海默病患者进行了研究，以确定与伴侣动物的接触对认知衰退进展和伴随的非认知症状表现有何影响。与未接触伴侣动物的患者相比，34名接触伴侣动物的患者报告的言语攻击和焦虑发作患病率较低。与未依恋宠物的患者相比，依恋宠物的患者报告的情绪障碍明显较少。通过三个标准指标衡量，接触宠物和未接触宠物的患者之间的认知衰退率没有显著差异。这项研究为以下观点提供了初步支持，即与宠物互动有助于缓解阿尔茨海默病患者的激动和攻击情绪。
