The Effects of Essential Oil and Massage on Patients’ Affected by Alzheimer’s Disease. An Observational Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31674/mjn.2023.v14i03.014Abstract
Background: Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most widespread form of dementia. The present study analyses the effects of aromatherapy using Melissa Officinalis essential oil, applied by massage to the hands and forearms of patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. and to evaluate the effect on their perceived overall quality of life.
Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted in two nursing homes in Italy in 2018. Data were collected through individual qualitative structured interviews based on the Quality of Life in Alzheimer’s Disease (QoL-AD) questionnaire and the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). The authors referred to STROBE guidelines for quality reporting of observational studies.
Results: Treatment with Melissa Officinalis showed positive effects on all patients after the 12th week of treatment. The results were most evident in patients in class 3 MMSE. However, class 4 MMSE patients also benefited from the treatment.
Conclusions: The aromatherapy treatment delivered in this observational study, using Melissa Officinalis essential oil applied to hands and forearms, showed an improvement in the quality of life of the patients living in two different nursing homes. Due to the small sample size in this study, it is suggested that more research be done on the effects and effectiveness of aromatherapy with Melissa Officinalis essential oil for Alzheimer's disease patients.
Keywords:
Quality Adjusted Life Years, Mental Status and Dementia Test, Alzheimer Disease, Aromatherapy, Essential OilDownloads
References
Akhondzadeh, S., Noroozian, M., Mohammadi, M., Ohadinia, S., Jamshidi, A. H., & Khani, M. (2003). Melissa officinalis extract in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease: a double blind, randomised, placebo controlled trial. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, 74(7), 863–866. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.74.7.863
Ballard, C. G., O'Brien, J. T., Reichelt, K., & Perry, E. K. (2002). Aromatherapy as a safe and effective treatment for the management of agitation in severe dementia: the results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with Melissa. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 63(7), 553–558. https://doi.org/10.4088/jcp.v63n0703
Buckle, J. (2016). Clinical Aromatherapy: Essential Oils in Healthcare. 3rd Edition, Elsevier: Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Butje, A. (2017). The Heart of Aromatherapy. An Easy-to-Use Guide for Essential Oils. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House Inc. California, United States.
Burns, A., Perry, E., Holmes, C., Francis, P., Morris, J., Howes, M. J., Chazot, P., Lees, G., & Ballard, C. (2011). A double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial of Melissa officinalis oil and donepezil for the treatment of agitation in Alzheimer's disease. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 31(2), 158–164. https://doi.org/10.1159/000324438
Clarke, S. (2008). Handling, safety and practical applications for use of essential oils. Essential Chemistry for Aromatherapy, 2nd edition., Churchill Livingstone: Edinburgh, Scotland, 231- 64.
Cook, N., Lynch, J. (2008). Aromatherapy: reviewing evidence for its mechanisms of action and CNS effects. British Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, 4, 595-601. http://dx.doi.org/10.12968/bjnn.2008.4.12.31963
Cooke, M., Moyle, W., Shum, D., Harrison, S., & Murfield, J. (2010). A randomized controlled trial exploring the effect of music on quality of life and depression in older people with dementia. Journal of Health Psychology, 15(5), 765–776. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105310368188
Folstein, M. F., Folstein, S. E., & McHugh, P. R. (1975). "Mini-mental state". A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12(3), 189–198. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3956(75)90026-6
Iperbole.bologna.it. (2022). Deterioramento cognitivo (disturbi della memoria, demenze): i servizi e le risorse | Servizi e Sportelli Sociali | Rete civica Iperbole [cited 15 March 2022]. https://www.iperbole.bologna.it/sportellosociale/servizi/672/70856/
Istat.it. (2022). Le Principali Cause di Morte in Italia [cited 15 March 2022]. https://www.istat.it/it/files//2014/12/Principali_cause_morte_2012.pdf
Kertapati, Y., Junaiti Sahar, Nursasi, A. Y., & Mutyah, D. (2022). The Effect of Chair Yoga with Spiritual Intervention on the Life Satisfaction of Older Adults. The Malaysian Journal of Nursing (MJN), 14(2). https://doi.org/10.31674/mjn.2022.v14i02.011
Li, D., Li, Y., Bai, X., Wang, M., Yan, J., & Cao, Y. (2022). The Effects of Aromatherapy on Anxiety and Depression in People With Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta Analysis. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 853056. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.853056
Lim, C. K., Ching, C. W., Jun, L. J., & Yun, L. (2021). Level Of Knowledge And Attitude On Dementia Care Among Nurses. The Malaysian Journal of Nursing (MJN), 13(2), 3-7. https://doi.org/10.31674/mjn.2021.v13i02.001
Logsdon, R.G., Gibbons, L.E., McCurry, S.M., Teri, L. (1999). Quality of life in Alzheimer's disease: patient and caregiver reports. Journal of Mental Health and Aging, 5, 21-32.
Logsdon, R. G., Gibbons, L. E., McCurry, S. M., & Teri, L. (2002). Assessing quality of life in older adults with cognitive impairment. Psychosomatic Medicine, 64(3), 510–519. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006842-200205000-00016
Meier, M., Unternaehrer, E., Dimitroff, S. J., Benz, A. B. E., Bentele, U. U., Schorpp, S. M., Wenzel, M., & Pruessner, J. C. (2020). Standardized massage interventions as protocols for the induction of psychophysiological relaxation in the laboratory: a block randomized, controlled trial. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 14774. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-71173-w
Maggio, A., Rosselli, S., & Bruno, M. (2016). Essential Oils and Pure Volatile Compounds as Potential Drugs in Alzheimer's Disease Therapy: An Updated Review of the Literature. Current Pharmaceutical Design, 22(26), 4011–4027. https://doi.org/10.2174/1381612822666160607065917
Nunnally J. C., & Bernstein I. H. (2010). Psychometric Theory (3. ed. internat. stud. ed. [Nachdr.]). Tata McGraw-Hill Ed.
Nascimento, J.C., Gonçalves, V.S.S., Souza, B.R.S., Nascimento, L.C., Carvalho, B.M.R., Ziegelmann, P.K., Goes, T.C., & Guimar˜aes, A.G. (2022). New approaches to the effectiveness of inhalation aromatherapy in controlling painful conditions: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 49, 101628. https://doi:org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2022.101628
Prince M, Comas-Herrera A, Knapp M, Guerchet M, Karagiannidou M. (2016). World Alzheimer report 2016. Improving healthcare for people living with dementia. Coverage, quality and costs now and in the future. Alzheimer's Disease International. World Alzheimer's Report.
Rubbi, I., Magnani, D., Naldoni, G., Di Lorenzo, R., Cremonini, V., Capucci, P., Artioli, G., Ferri, P. (2016). Efficacy of video-music therapy on quality-of-life improvement in a group of patients with Alzheimer’s disease: a pre-post study. Acta Biomed for Health Professions, 87, S4, 30-37
Snow, L. A., Hovanec, L., & Brandt, J. (2004). A controlled trial of aromatherapy for agitation in nursing home patients with dementia. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.), 10(3), 431– 437. https://doi.org/10.1089/1075553041323696
Steele, C., Rovner, B., Chase, G. A., & Folstein, M. (1990). Psychiatric symptoms and nursing home placement of patients with Alzheimer's disease. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 147(8), 1049–1051. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.147.8.1049
Sustrami, D., Suhardiningsih, A. S., Purbasari, D. N., & Budiarti, A. (2022). A Descriptive Study of Quality of Life of Caregiver in the Family of Schizophrenia Patients. The Malaysian Journal of Nursing (MJN), 14(2), 124-127. https://doi.org/10.31674/mjn.2022.v14i02.020
Tabish S. A. (2008). Complementary and Alternative Healthcare: Is it Evidence-based?. International Journal of Health Sciences, 2(1), V–IX.
van der Watt, G., Laugharne, J., & Janca, A. (2008). Complementary and alternative medicine in the treatment of anxiety and depression. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 21(1), 37–42. https://doi.org/10.1097/YCO.0b013e3282f2d814
von Elm, E., Altman, D. G., Egger, M., Pocock, S. J., Gøtzsche, P. C., Vandenbroucke, J. P., & STROBE Initiative (2007). The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies. Lancet (London, England), 370(9596), 1453–1457. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61602-X
Watson, K., Hatcher, D., & Good, A. (2019). A randomised controlled trial of Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) and Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis) essential oils for the treatment of agitated behaviour in older people with and without dementia. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 42, 366–373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2018.12.016
Wilkinson, S. M., Love, S. B., Westcombe, A. M., Gambles, M. A., Burgess, C. C., Cargill, A., Young, T., Maher, E. J., & Ramirez, A. J. (2007). Effectiveness of aromatherapy massage in the management of anxiety and depression in patients with cancer: a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Oncology : Official Journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, 25(5), 532–539. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO.2006.08.9987
Wimo, A., Guerchet, M., Ali, G. C., Wu, Y. T., Prina, A. M., Winblad, B., Jönsson, L., Liu, Z., & Prince, M. (2017). The worldwide costs of dementia 2015 and comparisons with 2010. Alzheimer's & Dementia : The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 13(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2016.07.150
World Health Organization. (2013). WHO traditional medicine strategy: 2014-2023. World Health Organization
Yang, Y. P., Wang, C. J., & Wang, J. J. (2016). Effect of Aromatherapy Massage on Agitation and Depressive Mood in Individuals With Dementia. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 42(9), 38–46. https://doi.org/10.3928/00989134-20160615-03
Y Ng, J., Nazir, Z., Nault, H. (2020). Complementary and alternative medicine recommendations for depression: a systematic review and assessment of clinical practice guidelines. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 20(1), 299. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-020-03085-1
Yuliastuti, C., Astuti, N. M. ., Winarno, D. D. ., Sari, M. A., & John, N. (2022). Family Support Related to Quality of Life in Diabetes Mellitus Patients with Ulcer. The Malaysian Journal of Nursing (MJN), 14(2). https://doi.org/10.31674/mjn.2022.v14i02.016
Zhang, Q., Sharan, A., Espinosa, S. A., Gallego-Perez, D., & Weeks, J. (2019). The Path Toward Integration of Traditional and Complementary Medicine into Health Systems Globally: The World Health Organization Report on the Implementation of the 2014-2023 Strategy. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (New York, N.Y.), 25(9), 869–871. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2019.29077.jjw
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 The Malaysian Journal of Nursing (MJN)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
