The additional contribution of combination of pharmacological therapy and cognitive stimulation in Alzheimer's disease: Review of the literature

Alzheimer.s disease (AD) is a progressive disorder that impacts several cognitive functions. However, some aspects of cognitive function are preserved until later in the disease and can therefore be the targets of specific interventions. The rehabilitation of cognitive function disorders represents an expanding area of neurological rehabilitation and it has recently attracted growing political, social and ethical attention. Here we review the efficacy of combining cognitive stimulation and cholinesterase inhibitors. Generally, all the studies reported in this review have compared the combined treatment with pharmacological intervention alone. Further studies should clarify the potential role of the combined cognitive-pharmacological treatment in AD persons with dementias care. In the meantime, the findings of the studies reviewed in this paper suggest that cognitive rehabilitation should be an essential part of dementia treatment, along with antidementia drugs.