New Study Shows Dance Training Can Improve Motor Skills in Patients With Parkinson's Disease

A new study published in Brain Sciences today, shows that progress of mild-to-moderate Parkinson's disease can be slowed if patients participate in dance training with music, News-Medical reports. Over the course of three years, practicing this activity for one-and-a-quarter hours per week was found to reduce daily motor issues.

The study was conducted by Joseph DeSouza, senior author, principal investigator and associate professor in the Department of Psychology at York University and PhD candidate Karolina Bearss. Patients with Parkinson's who participated in weekly dance training, had less motor impairment and showed significant improvement in areas related to speech, tremors, balance and rigidity. Improvements were also shown in cognitive impairment, hallucinations, depression and anxious moods.

"Generally, what we know is that dance activates brain areas in those without PD. For those with Parkinson's disease even when it's mild, motor impairment can impact their daily functioning -- how they feel about themselves," DeSouza said. "Our study shows that training with dance and music can slow this down and improve their daily living and daily function."

In the study, 16 participants with mild-to-moderate PD (11 males, five females) with an average age of 69, were tested between October 2014 and November 2017. Each participant took part in a 1.25-hour dance class at Canada's National Ballet School (NBS) and Trinity St. Paul's church locations. This group was then compared to 16 non-dance participants from the Parkinson's Progression Marker Initiative.

Classes included a seated warm-up with live music accompaniment, followed by barre work, and moving across the floor. All participants learned choreography for an upcoming performance.

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