Introduction: It is generally accepted that physical activity promotes healthy aging.Recent studies suggest dance could also benefit cognition and physical health in seniors, but many styles and approaches of dance exist and rigorous designs for intervention studies are still scarce. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of Dance/Movement Training (DMT) to Aerobic Exercise Training (AET) on cognition, physical fitness and health-related quality of life in healthy inactive elderly. Methods: A single-center, randomized, parallel assignment, open label trial was conducted with sixtytwo older adults (mean age = 67.48 ± 5.37 years) recruited from the community. Participants were randomly assigned to a 12-week (3x/week, 1hr/session) DMT program, AET program or control group. Cognitive functioning, physical fitness and health-related quality of life were assessed at baseline (T-0), and post-training (T-12 weeks). Results: Forty-one participants completed the study. Executive and non-executive composite scores showed a significant increase post-training (F (1,37) =4.35, p=.04; F (1,37) =7.01, p=.01). Cardiovascular fitness improvements were specific to the AET group (F (2,38) =16.40, p<.001) while mobility improvements were not group-dependent (10m walk: F (1,38) =11.67, p=.002; Timed up and go: F (1,38) =22.07, p<.001). Conclusions: Results suggest that DMT may have a positive impact on cognition and physical functioning in older adults however further research is needed. This study could serve as a model for designing future RCTs with dance-related interventions. Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier NCT02455258.
A growing body of research emphasizes the benefits of physical activity and exercise over the lifespan and especially in elderly populations. However, few studies have evaluated the impact of dance as a physical activity or exercise on cognition in healthy older adults. This review investigated if dance could be used as a promising alternative intervention to address physical inactivity and to cognitively stimulate older adults. This systematic review reports the effects of dancing in a healthy older adult population based on intervention studies using the EMBASE, Web of Science, and Ovid Medline databases. The Cochrane collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias was used to assess each article quality. Seven out of 99 articles met the inclusion criteria, representing a total of 429 older adults (70% women), with a mean age of 73.17 years old. Dance interventions, lasting between 10 weeks and 18 months, were related to either the maintenance or improvement of cognitive performance. This systematic review suggests that dance as an intervention in the elderly could help improve or maintain cognition. This review outlines some of the possible mechanisms by which dance could positively impact cognition in older adults, addresses shortcomings in the existing literature, and proposes future research avenues.
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