Sensory processing assessment in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias: Opportunities for improved care

BACKGROUND: Sensory stimulation, such as sight, hearing, and smell influence healthy neurological processing evident by the growing literature which demonstrates that sensory loss increases Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) risk. While these associations are critical in advancing the field, less is known related to cortical-level sensory processing and ADRD as a primary mechanism in functional performance and behavioral regulation. However, it is unclear how sensory processing assessment is used in clinical practice related to intervention.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review explores the current state of evidence of sensory processing assessment before sensory-based interventions in ADRD care.

METHODS: A systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 update to exhaustively examine published literature (1999-2024) regarding sensory processing assessment in ADRD prior to sensory-based intervention delivery.

RESULTS: The systematic search identified 14,928 articles, all of which were screened for inclusion. No studies specifically assessed sensory processing prior to providing sensory-based interventions in older adults with ADRD.

CONCLUSIONS: Findings of this systematic review illustrate a substantial gap in the field of ADRD care as sensory interventions are used in clinical care, yet there is insufficient evidence of sensory processing assessment to appropriately guide safe use for individuals with ADRD.