Adam et al.2727 Adam D, Ramli A, Shahar S. Effectiveness of a combined dance and relaxation intervention on reducing anxiety and depression and improving quality of life among the cognitively impaired elderly. Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J. 2016;16(1):e47-53. https://doi.org/10.18295/squmj.2016.16.01.009
https://doi.org/10.18295/squmj.2016.16.0...
(2016/Malaysia) |
Effectiveness of a combined dance and relaxation intervention on reducing anxiety and depression and improving quality of life among the cognitively impaired elderly |
n=84
The CG had relaxation sessions, covering 40 participants of the 84 individuals in the study |
A combination of poco-poco dance and relaxation exercises |
Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) |
As a result of the 6-week dance intervention, there was a significant difference in the levels of global cognition, anxiety, and depression, measured by the MMSE and HADS, respectively |
Bisbe et al.2222 Bisbe M, Fuente-Vidal A, López E, Moreno M, Naya M, Benetti C, et al. Comparative cognitive effects of choreographed exercise and multimodal physical therapy in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment: randomized clinical trial. J Alzheimers Dis. 2020;73(2):769-83. https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-190552
https://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-190552...
(2020/Spain) |
Comparative cognitive effects of choreographed exercise and multimodal physical therapy in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment: randomized clinical trial |
n=31
The comparative group was dedicated to physical exercise, and 14 participants out of the 18 who were initially drafted completed the PE program |
Choreographed aerobic dances that used a variety of music styles: salsa, rock, rumba, pop, and jive |
MMSE
Word list learning from the Wechsler Memory Scale – Third Edition (WMS-III)
Visual memory subtest of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS)
Trail-Making Tests A and B (TMT-A and TMT-B)
Letter Verbal Fluency (LVF) and Category Verbal Fluency (CVF)
Boston Naming Test (BNT)
Judgment of Line Orientation |
The dance group showed greater benefits with regard to verbal recognition memory, at statistically significant rates. Furthermore, it also showed improvements in delayed visual memory |
Borges et al.2525 Borges EGS, Vale RGS, Pernambuco CS, Cader SA, Sá SPC, Pinto FM, et al. Effects of dance on the postural balance, cognition and functional autonomy of older adults. Rev Bras Enferm. 2018;71(suppl 5):2302-9. https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2017-0253
https://doi.org/10.1590/0034-7167-2017-0...
(2018/Brazil) |
Effects of dance on the postural balance, cognition and functional autonomy of older adults |
n=60
30 people were included in the CG, which adopted a life-as-usual approach |
The program was based on ballroom dance and included styles such as foxtrot, waltz, rumba, swing, samba, and bolero |
HADS
MMSE |
From the results found after 12 weeks of intervention with dance, it could be observed that the individuals in the experimental group showed an improvement in the mental state exam when compared to the CG, which did not undergo any intervention |
Doi et al.2929 Doi T, Verghese J, Makizako H, Tsutsumimoto K, Hotta R, Nakakubo S, et al. Effects of cognitive leisure activity on cognition in mild cognitive impairment: results of a randomized controlled trial. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2017;18(8):686-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2017.02.013
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2017.02....
(2017/Japan) |
Effects of cognitive leisure activity on cognition in mild cognitive impairment: results of a randomized controlled trial |
n=172
117 out of the 172 participants were allocated to groups that were not the dance program; 67 went to a passive CG, and 54 were allocated to a music group |
Ballroom dance, including salsa, rumba, waltz, cha-cha, blues, jitterbug, and tango |
Story memory and word list memory tests from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology Functional Assessment Tool
MMSE
Tablet version of the TMT-A and TMT-B |
Dance program participants demonstrated an improvement in memory function (more pronounced in patients with amnesic MCI) and in global cognition. No significant differences were found in attention or executive function |
Ho et al.3030 Ho RTH, Fong TCT, Chan WC, Kwan JSK, Chiu PKC, Yau JCY, et al. Psychophysiological effects of dance movement therapy and physical exercise on older adults with mild dementia: a randomized controlled trial. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2020;75(3):560-70. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gby145
https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gby145...
(2020/China) |
Psychophysiological effects of dance movement therapy and physical exercise on older adults with mild dementia: a randomized controlled trial |
n=166
Participants in the comparative groups were randomized to either exercise or a waitlist control; 56 participants were allocated to the exercise group and 55 were included on the waitlist |
According to the authors, the intervention was a modified program from an established dance/movement therapy program, applied within the Chinese population over the past decade |
Full object memory evaluation
Digit Span Test from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)
TMT-A and TMT-B
De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale
Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)
Visual Analogue Mood Scale |
Improvements were observed in the domains of verbal memory and verbal fluency. Furthermore, the rates of depression, loneliness, and negative mood decreased. With the exception of memory and loneliness, the benefits observed were mostly qualitative and did not reach statistical significance |
Kropacova et al.2424 Kropacova S, Mitterova K, Klobusiakova P, Brabenec L, Anderkova L, Nemcova-Elfmarkova N, et al. Cognitive effects of dance-movement intervention in a mixed group of seniors are not dependent on hippocampal atrophy. J Neural Transm (Vienna). 2019;126(11):1455-63. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-019-02068-y
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-019-02068...
(2019/Czech Republic) |
Cognitive effects of dance-movement intervention in a mixed group of seniors are not dependent on hippocampal atrophy |
n=99
The CG, which was a life-as-usual CG, included 50 participants |
Mentioned dances were Irish country, African dance, Greek dance, and tango |
Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test (MoCA)
Taylor Figure Test
Logical memory from WMS-III Symbol search from Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Third Edition (WAIS-III)
Digit span from the WAIS-III
Tower of Hanoi
Five-Point Test
Judgment of Line Orientation Test
Taylor Figure Test
MMSE
MoCA
Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test (RBMT)
Verbal Fluency
F-A-S Test (FAS)
TMT-B Rey Osterrieth Complex Figure
Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test
Test of Everyday Attention (TEA)
Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI)
GDS
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
Hamilton Scale for Depression
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)
Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) |
There was no significant difference among the intervention and the CG. However, slight improvements were observed in the intervention group when compared to its performance at baseline. More specifically, the areas identified as being the most benefited were memory and executive function |
Lazarou et al.2121 Lazarou I, Parastatidis T, Tsolaki A, Gkioka M, Karakostas A, Douka S, et al. International ballroom dancing against neurodegeneration: a randomized controlled trial in Greek community-dwelling elders with mild cognitive impairment. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen. 2017;32(8):489-99. https://doi.org/10.1177/1533317517725813
https://doi.org/10.1177/1533317517725813...
(2017/Greece) |
International ballroom dancing against neurodegeneration: a randomized controlled trial in Greek community-dwelling elders with mild cognitive impairment |
n=129
63 participants out of 129 were allocated to the CG, which received no intervention |
Ballroom dance, expressed through styles such as: tango, waltz, Viennese Waltz, foxtrot, tumba, cha-cha, swing, salsa, merengue, Disco-Hustle, and Greek traditional ballroom dancing |
MoCA
Reverse Corsi Blocks
Brooks Spatial Task |
The intervention group demonstrated a significant improvement in the domains of global cognition, memory, alternating attention, verbal fluency, executive function, visuospatial skills, processing speed, and learning. The mood of the participants also improved. Comparatively, the CG did not show these benefits |
McKee and Hackney2626 McKee KE, Hackney ME. The effects of adapted tango on spatial cognition and disease severity in Parkinson’s disease. J Mot Behav. 2013;45(6):519-29. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222895.2013.834288
https://doi.org/10.1080/00222895.2013.83...
(2013/the United States) |
The effects of adapted tango on spatial cognition and disease severity in Parkinson’s disease |
n=63
Out of the 9 participants allocated to the CG, which underwent education classes, 8 finished the program |
Tango |
MoCA
Taylor Figure Test
Logical memory from WMS-III
Digit span from the WAIS-III
Symbol search from the WAIS-III
Five-Point Test
Tower of Hanoi
Taylor Figure Test
Mississippi Aphasia
Judgment of Line Orientation Screening Test
BDI-II
MoCA
Logical memory from WMS
Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT)
TMT-A and TMT-B
Forward and Backward Digit Span Task
GDS-15 |
Dance group participants showed qualitative improvement in spatial cognition and disease severity when compared to their performance at baseline, although it did not reach statistical significance when compared to the CG |
Rektorova et al.2323 Rektorova I, Klobusiakova P, Balazova Z, Kropacova S, Minsterova AS, Grmela R, et al. Brain structure changes in nondemented seniors after six-month dance-exercise intervention. Acta Neurol Scand. 2020;141(1):90-7. https://doi.org/10.1111/ane.13181
https://doi.org/10.1111/ane.13181...
(2020/Czech Republic) |
Brain structure changes in nondemented seniors after six-month dance-exercise intervention |
n=62
31 participants assigned to the CG, which was passive, completed the trial |
The authors mentioned that the topic of the program was “Travelling Around the World”, which was constituted by dance styles like folk, country, African, Greek, and tango dancing” |
MoCA
Taylor Figure Test
Logical memory from WMS-III
Digit span from the WAIS-III
Symbol search from the WAIS-III
Five-Point Test
Tower of Hanoi
Taylor Figure Test
Mississippi Aphasia
Judgment of Line Orientation
Screening Test
BDI-II |
The intervention produced a slight improvement on executive function. The sample was mixed, including healthy older people and those with MCI. The results were more pronounced in older persons with MCI. In terms of neuroimaging, an increase in cortical thickness induced by the intervention was obtained compared to the CG in the areas of the inferior right temporal, fusiform, and lateral occipitotemporal gyrus |
Zhu et al.2828 Zhu Y, Wu H, Qi M, Wang S, Zhang Q, Zhou L, et al. Effects of a specially designed aerobic dance routine on mild cognitive impairment. Clin Interv Aging. 2018;13:1691-700. https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S163067
https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S163067...
(2018/China) |
Effects of a specially designed aerobic dance routine on mild cognitive impairment |
n=54
The CG consisted of 31 participants and underwent a life-as-usual approach |
Aerobic dance |
MoCA
Logical memory from WMS
SDMT
TMT-A and TMT-B
Forward and Backward Digit Span Task
GDS-15 |
Participants in the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in memory, processing speed, and global cognition when compared to their baseline performance. These improvements attenuated after 6 months. The CG showed improvements in global cognition, but these benefits were not maintained over time |
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