Effectiveness of psychological therapies for depression and anxiety in atypical dementia

INTRODUCTION: People with dementia may benefit from psychological therapies for depression or anxiety, but evidence of their effectiveness in atypical dementia is limited. METHODS: Using electronic health-care records of > 2 million people who attended psychological therapy services in England between 2012 and 2019, we examined pre-post therapy symptom changes and compared therapy outcomes among 523 people with atypical dementia, a matched cohort without dementia, and 1157 people with typical dementia. RESULTS: People with atypical dementia experienced reductions in depression (Cohen d = -0.92 [-1.05 to -0.79]) and anxiety (d = -0.85 [-0.98 to -0.73]) symptoms. They had similar odds of improvement than people with typical dementia (odds ratio [OR] = 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.85 to 1.34), but lower odds than people living without dementia (OR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.53 to 0.91). Reasons for discharge were similar between all groups. DISCUSSION: People with atypical dementia may benefit from primary care psychological therapies, but further research is needed to explore necessary adaptations. Highlights Talking therapies for depression and anxiety may be beneficial for people with atypical dementia. Being younger and having a lower socioeconomic background are associated with poorer outcomes. Receiving more treatment sessions and shorter waiting times are associated with better outcomes.