Animal-Assisted Interventions Involving Live and Robotic Animals for Depression, Anxiety, Loneliness, and Cognitive Function in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

J Am Med Dir AssocAug 18, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchGeriatricsPsychiatry

Jiaxin Lv, Zhong Li, Rixin Qin et al.

✦ AI-curated · Sources linked

In 30 seconds

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) on depressive symptoms, anxiety, loneliness, and cognitive function in older adults. The analysis included 20 studies, revealing a moderate and significant improvement in depressive symptoms (SMD, -0.45) and cognitive function (SMD, 0.72) compared to controls. No significant effects were found for anxiety or loneliness.

Key findings

  • AAIs significantly improved depressive symptoms with a standardized mean difference of -0.45.
  • Cognitive function also showed significant improvement with a standardized mean difference of 0.72.
  • Larger effects on depressive symptoms were noted in interventions using live animals and lasting 6 to 12 weeks.
  • No significant pooled effects were found for anxiety symptoms or loneliness.

Why it matters

The findings suggest that AAIs may serve as a valuable complementary approach for managing depression and enhancing cognitive function in older adults, addressing common mental health challenges in this population.

Source

PubMed · PMID 42612612

Published in J Am Med Dir Assoc. This summary was written by xxcode from the publication's abstract and metadata. It is not peer reviewed and is not a substitute for the original article. For clinical decisions, review the original publication.

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