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.