Robotic Cat May Help People With Dementia, Florida Study Shows

In a small study, researchers at Florida Atlantic University found that engaging with a robotic pet might help people with Alzheimer's disease, reducing their stress and dementia-related behaviors without the more complex responsibilities of pet ownership, Cara Murez reported for HealthDay News.

Photo Insert: The robotic cats were designed to respond to actions, purring when petted, for example.

"You wouldn't think that a furry little movable cat or dog would really make a difference, but it evokes emotional responses in persons with cognitive impairment who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience something as delightful as just playing with a pet," said study co-author Lisa Wiese. She's an associate professor at the university's College of Nursing.

In the US, more than 1 in 3 older adults die with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia, for which there is no cure, according to the study. Dementia affects more than 50 million people worldwide.

People with Alzheimer's disease often have behavioral and psychological symptoms, including depression, aggression, and anxiety. Medications used to treat these symptoms can have side effects, the United Press International (UPI) also reported.

For the study, researchers paired robotic cats with 12 individuals with Alzheimer's and related dementias at an adult day center. Each participant was assigned a robotic cat that they could name. They were told their pets were robots and not live animals. They spent 30 minutes with their pets twice a week for 12 weeks.

The researchers observed study participants smiling and talking to their robotic cats. The pets were designed to respond to actions, purring when petted, for example. The researchers evaluated mood using three different mood and behavior scales.

They found participants had improvements in all of the mood scores. Looking at cognition -- thinking skills -- researchers found slight to moderate improvement in attention/calculation and language in the post-test of more than half of participants compared to the pre-test.

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