Abstract

Doll therapy is a non-pharmacological approach aimed at enhancing emotional well-being in individuals with dementia. This study involved 20 young women without prior childcare experience who interacted with a baby doll. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, changes in cerebral blood flow in the prefrontal cortex were measured during different conditions. The results showed that hugging a baby doll with emotional expressions led to a significant decrease in oxyhemoglobin concentration in the left prefrontal cortex, indicating reduced emotional arousal. This suggests that doll therapy may have a relaxing or emotion-regulating effect, potentially beneficial for individuals with dementia. Notably, the emotional expression of the doll played a crucial role in eliciting this response. While the study had limitations, including a small sample size, these findings highlight the potential therapeutic implications of doll therapy, particularly when involving emotionally engaging stimuli.

Keywords:Doll therapy; Cerebral blood flow; Prefrontal cortex; Emotional well-being; Dementia

Abbreviations:DT: Doll Therapy; CBF: Cerebral Blood Flow; PFC: Prefrontal Cortex; oxy-Hb: oxyhemoglobin; NCGG: National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology; EG1: Experimental Group 1, participants who hugged the baby doll for 3 minutes; EG2: Experimental Group 2, participants who hugged the baby doll exhibiting emotional expressions, such as crying or laughing, for 3 minutes; CG: Control Group, participants who sat for 3 minutes.