**6. Psychological and psychiatric diseases**

Autism

Down syndrome Rett syndrome

**For psychological training**

310 Understanding Alzheimer's Disease

**To decrease hostile behaviors**

In mental institutions with convicts

In conduct disorders,

In reformatory schools **Psychiatric conditions** Mild or moderate autism

Neuro-psychological tension **Medical interventions** In recovery periods of diseases Arterial hypertension Cardiopathies

In jails

Anxiety

In children with poor or underdeveloped socialization attitudes,

In treatment and prevention of depression symptoms in old people

In children with low academic success and low self-esteem

Neurotic disorder

Cephalgia

Chronic diseases

Cerebral palsy in children

Chronic fatigue syndrome Delayed speech development Delayed psychological development

Environmental conduct disorders Support for post-coma treatment Severe psychological and complex trauma

Depression (non-endogenous type)

Chronic muscle-nervous system diseases

**Table 2.** Application fields of AAT

Different motor disorder therapies and rehabilitation

Brain trauma (without cramp syndrome) Brain paralysis (without cramp syndrome)

Childhood neurosis like fobby, enuresis and asthenia

**Table 3.** Some medical and mental health problems for application of dolphin therapy

Animal assisted therapies are especially employed in hospitalized children and Alzheimer patients to decrease stress. Animal companionship is employed in anxiety, refusal of therapy, refusal of eating and decreasing other agitated behaviors, treatments of various psychological and psychiatric disorders o provide treatment compliance and to increase the life quality. Patients, who are hospitalized in rehabilitation centers are scheduled for weekly or monthly therapy programs with trained animals, so physical, emotional, social and cognitive benefit of AAT are used. It has been reported that blood pressure and cardiac rate are decreased, cortisol (stress hormone) is markedly decreased, and pain sensation is decreased.

Animal assisted therapy has been shown to be effective in patients with speech disorders like aphasia, schizophrenia and dementia (Table 4). [3], [7], [8], [12], [51]

Antonioli and Reveley observed in their randomized, controlled study that depression symptoms were observed to be improved in the 2nd week of treatment in patients with mildmoderate depression. Antonioli responded the comment indicating that patient number was limited and study population was a specific group as this dolphin study has indicated that, according to "Biophilia" hypothesis, interaction between animals and humans could be beneficial in their natural environments. [65], [66] "Biophilia" term is first defined by psychol‐ ogist Erich, and is based on "affection level, which is required for mental health and emotional well-being". [67] Kellert and Wilson improved biophilia concept, and stated that human health

Animal Assisted Therapy and Activities in Alzheimer´s Disease

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/54504

313

**7. How can a dog assisted therapy be beneficial for therapy in Alzheimer**

It may cause decreased agitation, improvement in the mood, and increased communication with the surrounding: Alzheimer patients may experience different clinical symptoms at different disease stages. Generally as the disease is progressed, they isolate themselves from their surroundings, family members, friends, healthcare personnel; they become quieter and less mobile. In this stage, an accompanying therapy dog may even become the only commu‐ nication bridge to continue the interaction with their surroundings. Sometimes patients may end up the silence on a dog's touch or behaviors; they may smile, talk a few words, and even

Indoor and outdoor safety problems are most commonly encountered problems in some patients. With the accompanying well-trained dog, the patient can feel more secure. Since the dog can estimate behaviors of the patient, it may warn the patient and his /her relatives and/or healthcare personnel before and/or during the behaviors. A guiding dog may prevent the patient, who would like to leave his/her surrounding (home or nursery home) without informing anybody, from many dangers he/she would be confronted with. When the patient come to the top of the ladder, the dog may inform the patient about his/her position, how he/ she should act or what he/she should do next by barking or behaving differently non-verbally without agitating the patient. It may protect the patient while crossing the street. The dog guiding a patient, who will forget the way home or the address of his/her home, can lead the

Aquarium assisted therapy studies have revealed that eating habits of Alzheimer patients are improved by feeding fish. Moreover aquarium assisted activities improve hand skills as well as they increase socialization of patients. Various mood disorders like nervousness, agitation, unhappiness, very quietness, and loneliness may be observed in subjects with dementia, who live in nursery homes. Aquariums at nursery homes may attract attention of subjects in these crowded environments, they may provide relaxation and happiness for them as well as they may help people live in more humane environments by decreasing work load and stress also for relatives of patients and healthcare personnel. Aquariums may help all individuals to share

and well-being were related to interactions with the natural environments. [68]

they may be involved more with their surroundings.

patient home safely and in good health.

the same environment with the underwater creatures.

**patients?**


**Table 4.** Dog therapy models in aphasia, schizophrenia and dementia.

Nathan reported from his study that animal assisted therapy improved anhedonia in chronic schizophrenia patients. Anhedonia is one of the negative symptoms of dementia, and it is the main phenomenon related to poor social functionality and development of treatment resist‐ ance. In an active study performed with dogs, significant improvement has been observed in anhedonia in AAT group when compared with the controls. As a result of the study, it has been reported that animal assisted therapy might contribute in life quality and psychosocial rehabilitation of chronic schizophrenia patients.8

Antonioli and Reveley observed in their randomized, controlled study that depression symptoms were observed to be improved in the 2nd week of treatment in patients with mildmoderate depression. Antonioli responded the comment indicating that patient number was limited and study population was a specific group as this dolphin study has indicated that, according to "Biophilia" hypothesis, interaction between animals and humans could be beneficial in their natural environments. [65], [66] "Biophilia" term is first defined by psychol‐ ogist Erich, and is based on "affection level, which is required for mental health and emotional well-being". [67] Kellert and Wilson improved biophilia concept, and stated that human health and well-being were related to interactions with the natural environments. [68]

Animal assisted therapy has been shown to be effective in patients with speech disorders like

Dog therapy Dog may act as an excellent catalyst to

brain injuries.

Dog therapy In condition with the dog and dog

Dog therapy In AAT group, significant improvements

Dog therapy Significant decrease in agitated

Dog therapy AAT was found to be helpful in daily life

and health activities.

motivate the client to talk and provide an atmosphere of unconditional acceptance for the speech disorders and

handler, it was found that both social verbal and non-verbal behaviors markedly increased in patient.

of hedonic tone compared to control. It was observed that an increasing in use of

behaviors and statistically significant increase in social interaction.

Significant improvement in domestic

activities and rehabilitation of schizophrenic patients.

leisure time and motivation.

aphasia, schizophrenia and dementia (Table 4). [3], [7], [8], [12], [51]

**Reference Patients, study group Pet therapy model Results**

Three men with aphasia from left-hemisphare strokes and during AAT therapy with a 8 year old

A 61-year old male with non-fluent aphasia and a left cerebral vascular accident. A therapy dog was 5 year old tetriever.

Patients with hedonic tone of 10 chronic schizophrenia participated in 10 weekly sessions of AAT was compared to control group treated without animal.

15 nursing home residents with dementia participated in a daily AAT for three

patients living in a social institute participated into the study for 9 month treatment period. Each weekly therapeutic session

**Table 4.** Dog therapy models in aphasia, schizophrenia and dementia.

Nathan reported from his study that animal assisted therapy improved anhedonia in chronic schizophrenia patients. Anhedonia is one of the negative symptoms of dementia, and it is the main phenomenon related to poor social functionality and development of treatment resist‐ ance. In an active study performed with dogs, significant improvement has been observed in anhedonia in AAT group when compared with the controls. As a result of the study, it has been reported that animal assisted therapy might contribute in life quality and psychosocial

weeks.

was 50 min.

rehabilitation of chronic schizophrenia patients.8

*Kovács Z, 2004*[51] Seven schizophrenic

neutered male Newfoundland dog participated into the study.

*Macauley BL, 2006*[3]

312 Understanding Alzheimer's Disease

*LaFrance C et al, 2007*[7]

*Nathans-Barel I et al, 2005*[8]

*Richeson N, 2003*[12]
