Dance therapy improves motor and cognitive functions in patients with Parkinson's disease.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the effects of Dance Therapy (DT) and Traditional Rehabilitation (TR) on both motor and cognitive domains in Parkinson's Disease patients (PD) with postural instability.


METHODS
Sixteen PD patients with recent history of falls were divided in two groups (Dance Therapy, DT and Traditional Rehabilitation, TR); nine patients received 1-hour DT classes twice per week, completing 20 lessons within 10 weeks; seven patients received a similar cycle of 20 group sessions of 60 minutes TR. Motor (Berg Balance Scale - BBS, Gait Dynamic Index - GDI, Timed Up and Go Test - TUG, 4 Square-Step Test - 4SST, 6-Minute Walking Test - 6MWT) and cognitive measures (Frontal Assessment Battery - FAB, Trail Making Test A & B - TMT A&B, Stroop Test) were tested at baseline, after the treatment completion and after 8-week follow-up.


RESULTS
In the DT group, but not in the TR group, motor and cognitive outcomes significantly improved after treatment and retained after follow-up. Significant changes were found for 6MWT (p = 0.028), TUG (p = 0.007), TMT-A (p = 0.014) and TMT-B (p = 0.036).


CONCLUSIONS
DT is an unconventional physical therapy for PD patients which effectively impacts on motor (endurance and risk of falls) and non-motor functions (executive functions).
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
Edoardo Rosario
ER
de Natale
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
Kai Stephan
KS
Paulus
Department of Surgical and Microsurgical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
Elena
E
Aiello
Department of Surgical and Microsurgical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
Battistina
B
Sanna
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
Andrea
A
Manca
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
Giovanni
G
Sotgiu
Department of Surgical and Microsurgical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
Paolo Tranquilli
PT
Leali
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
Franca
F
Deriu
D000368:Aged; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003614:Dance Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Parkinson’s disease; Rehabilitation; dance therapy; executive functions