Dance classes may be an effective element of rehabilitation for people with Parkinson’s disease.
Dance is showing promise as an intervention for symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD), including improving motor symptoms such as balance, gait and coordination. It is not yet clear whether it can improve non-motor symptoms, which standard medical treatments show some limitations in treating. Australian researchers examined whether dancing classes, co-designed by people with PD, could improve cognition, psychological symptoms and quality of life in people with early-stage PD. Participants took part in either a one-hour class twice weekly for 12 weeks (n=17) or they had their usual treatment. Psychological symptoms (anxiety and depression), cognitive skills (episodic memory and executive function) and quality of life were significantly improved in the intervention group compared to the control group. These benefits may be in part because dancing involves motor planning and memory, multi-tasking, expression of feelings and tapping into emotions. The researchers recommend a one-hour class twice a week be considered in rehabilitation programs for people with PD. However, they recommend follow-up assessment over a longer-period to determine the durability of the benefits.
doi.org/10.3233/NRE-192788
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