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Contemporary Dance Practice Improves Motor Function and Body Representation in Huntington's Disease: A Pilot Study
Iris Trinkler1,2, Philippe Chéhère3, Julie Salgues3
1Brain and Spine Institute (ICM), Sorbonne Université, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Paris, France.
Journal of Huntington'S Disease
|February 19, 2019
Summary
Contemporary dance improved motor function in Huntington's disease (HD) patients. This lyrical dance form enhanced brain volume and spatial processing, offering a novel therapeutic approach for neurological conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neurorehabilitation
- Dance Therapy
Background:
- Physical exercise benefits neurological conditions, but adherence is a challenge.
- Traditional metric dance is unsuitable for Huntington's disease (HD) patients due to motor deficits.
- Contemporary dance offers a potential alternative for improving health in HD patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if 5 months of weekly contemporary dance improves motor function, neuropsychiatric variables, cognition, and brain volume in HD patients.
- To assess the feasibility and adherence of a contemporary dance program for individuals with mild to moderate HD.
Main Methods:
- A randomized, controlled pilot study involving 19 patients with mild to moderate HD (aged 43-78).
- Participants engaged in 2 hours of contemporary dance weekly for 5 months.
- Primary outcome: change in total motor score; Secondary outcomes: brain structure, cognition, neuropsychiatric variables, apathy, quality of life, and patient experiences via semi-structured interviews.
Main Results:
- Adherence to the dance program was excellent, with all participants completing the 5-month duration.
- Significant improvement in motor function was observed in the dance group compared to the usual care group (p=0.015).
- Brain volume increased in specific regions (medial superior parietal and paracentral lobule), suggesting compensatory structural changes.
Conclusions:
- Contemporary dance practice significantly improves motor function in Huntington's disease patients.
- The dance intervention positively impacted brain structure, particularly in areas related to spatial and somatosensory processing.
- Contemporary dance, through its focus on spatial and bodily representations, presents a promising therapeutic strategy for improving motor function in HD.