How Dance Classes Can Impact Brain Signals in Patients with Parkinson's Disease

PPGNBC student Jade Vilhalva published an article in the scientific journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience about how dance could modify the electrical rhythms of the brain in people living with Parkinson's disease.

The study authors used non-invasive electrodes on the heads of elderly individuals to measure the so-called Mu rhythm, which is a type of brain oscillation that tends to decrease in size when we perform or observe a movement. It's as if the brain is saying that it understood the movement to be made or that it was made.

In this study, people living with Parkinson's disease participated in dance classes twice a week for several months. They underwent brain activity assessments before and after the class periods.

The results showed that after the dance period, there was a marked decrease in the Mu rhythm in regions of the brain center compared to the period before the dance training. The areas with the greatest decrease in the Mu rhythm were precisely those related to sensory and motor processing. This study shows that dance not only improves movement in people living with Parkinson's disease, but is also associated with measurable changes in brain function, suggesting the activation of neuroplasticity mechanisms.

So, do you have a suggestion? Get up and dance :) !!!