Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41377473›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in psychiatry2025

Single non-pharmacological intervention of depression in the elderly with cognitive dysfunction: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Zhengyi Tan, Baiyun Li, Lanxin Su, Lihua Liu, Yao-Chen Chuang

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Zhengyi Tan *Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macau, Macao, Macao SAR, China.
Baiyun Li *Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macau, Macao, Macao SAR, China.
Lanxin SuKiang Wu Nursing College of Macau, Macao, Macao SAR, China.
Lihua LiuDepartment of Nursing, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Yao-Chen ChuangKiang Wu Nursing College of Macau, Macao, Macao SAR, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: This study was conducted to appraise the comparative efficacy of single non-pharmacological methods on depression for cognitive dysfunction patients utilizing network meta-analysis (NMA) and resolve ambiguities in existing literature to help practitioners accurately determine the efficacy and formulate the optimal therapeutic models. Design: Systematic Review and Network meta-analysis. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science were searched. The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions was used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies. Two investigators independently undertook data extraction and quality evaluation. Result: Overall, 26 articles incorporating 10 single non-pharmacological interventions were identified. Compared to control, GAME (SMD = -1.00, 95% CrI = -1.70 to -0.39) and mindfulness (SMD = -0.58, 95% CrI = -0.99 to -0.17) significantly alleviated depressive symptoms. RTBC (SMD = -0.49, 95% CrI = -0.88 to -0.09) and MUSIC (SMD = -0.47, 95% CrI = -0.84 to -0.08) showed moderate effects, and PE (SMD = -0.37, 95% CrI = -0.67 to -0.09) showed small effects. Conclusion: In this network meta-analysis, we synthesized 26 trials to quantify the isolated impact of 10 single non-pharmacological interventions on depressive symptoms. Against usual care (basic medical support, sham stimulation, or wait-list), GAME and mindfulness produced the largest and statistically credible reductions. Reminiscence-therapy-based care (RTBC) and music therapy (MUSIC) generated medium benefits, whereas physical exercise (PE) yielded a small yet significant effect. These findings were robust across both direct and indirect evidence, underscoring GAME and mindfulness as the most effective stand-alone non-pharmacological options for mitigating depression. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42024517077.

Indexed as

agingcognitive dysfunctiondepressionnetwork meta-analysisnon-pharmacological intervention

Identifiers

PMID41377473
PMCPMC12687036

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.