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Practice of contemporary dance improves cognitive flexibility in aging
Olivier A Coubard1, Stéphanie Duretz, Virginie Lefebvre
1The Neuropsychological Laboratory, CNS-Fed Paris, France.
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
|October 1, 2011
Summary
Contemporary dance improvisation enhanced older adults' ability to switch attention, unlike fall prevention or Tai Chi. This motor skill learning offers a novel approach to counteracting age-related cognitive decline.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Kinesiology
Background:
- Cognitive aging and dementia present significant challenges.
- Physical fitness, including cardiovascular and strength training, may improve attentional control in aging.
- The role of motor-skill learning in enhancing age-related attentional control is understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of contemporary dance (CD) improvisation on attentional control in older adults.
- To compare the effects of CD improvisation with fall prevention and Tai Chi Chuan programs on attention.
Main Methods:
- Participants engaged in 5.7-month training programs: CD improvisation, fall prevention, or Tai Chi Chuan.
- Attentional control was assessed using setting, suppressing, and switching tasks before and after the intervention period.
Main Results:
- Contemporary dance improvisation significantly improved switching attention.
- No significant improvements in setting or suppressing attention were observed with CD.
- Neither fall prevention nor Tai Chi Chuan demonstrated any positive effects on attentional control.
Conclusions:
- Contemporary dance improvisation may serve as a 'training for change,' promoting neural plasticity.
- Flexible attention in older adults can be enhanced through specific motor-skill learning activities like CD improvisation.
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