The Montreal study was published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine and supported by the Parkinson Society of Canada and the Fonds de Recherché Santé Québec.
Another study from the Parkinson’ s Disease Foundation found that balance improved and patients were able to walk further and faster. The symptoms of the groups who did not receive Tango lessons worsened or stayed the same. A year after the study, the patients that had studied tango had increased their participation in all activities, such as gardening, socializing, games, etc.
There’ s accumulating evidence that habitual physical activity is associated with a lower risk of developing Parkinsons, which suggests a potential slowing of Parkinsons progression.... In the study, we found the tango was helpful in significantly improving balance and functional mobility, and seemed to encourage patients to appreciate their general course of therapy. We also found modest benefits in terms of patients’ cognitive functions and in reducing fatigue. No significant changes were detected in overall motor functions.
— Dr. Silvia Rios Romenets
Dr. Rios Romenets a clinical research fellow at the Movement Disorders Clinics, is lead researcher in the study. He has a special interest in Parkinson’ s disease and dance therapy.
Many Parkinsons patients find traditional exercise programs unappealing. Over half of Parkinsons patients neglect their recommended daily dose of physical activity. However, with a connection to music and a partner, the dopamine systems of the brain kick in. This is pivotal for establishing and maintaining behavior. Combining music with dance can increase accessibility, enjoyability, and motivation, as well as improving mood and stimulating cognition. The social interaction and social support involved in tango have significant positive results on mood.
Parkinsons disease patients can experience freezing, a sudden inability to move, when they are walking or turning around. This can cause falls. Tango dancing involves turning, stepping backwards, starting and stopping— total control and attention.
Practicing this is both physical and mental exercise. Using visual cues, overcoming obstacles, and auditory cues for stopping and starting. All of this rhythmic, metered movement activates the basal ganglia, structures in the base of the brain that are involved in coordination.
In Buenos Aires, lessons are available for people with Alzheimer’ s, depression, and Parkinson’ s. Lessons for special populations include longer warmup times and slower rhythms. Live musicians would be best, because they can choose tempos that suit the dancers.
Music causes dopamine to be released into the striatum, part of the brain’ s reward system and with dance being such a social activity, participants experience elevated mood states and greater motivation to comply with treatment.
Future studies comparing tango to other exercises and dance genres are definitely needed. Tango may not cure any these diseases. But with the tango, the patients will have more active happier lives..
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