Putting a swing in their step could be just the thing to help make it easier Symptoms of depression A new study suggests that some Parkinson's patients.
A small study recently published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research says that patients who took months of dance classes found their depression eased.
Not only did the symptoms of depression ease Parkinson's patientsThe researchers said that their brain scans showed changes in areas of the brain related to mood.
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“It was very exciting to see that dancing has a positive effect on mood circuits in the brain, which we can see in the imaging,” said lead researcher Joseph D'Souza, an assistant professor of neuroscience at York University in Toronto, Canada. University press release.
“These are improvements we can see MRI brain scan “It was also reported by participants via the survey,” D’Souza said.
A new study tracked dance program participants diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, as well as healthy people (not pictured). Participants' symptoms of depression eased. (Istock)
“Our study is the first to demonstrate these benefits across these two detection methods,” he also said, SWNS reported.
The study followed 23 participants in the Sharing Dance Parkinson's program at the National Ballet School of Canada, who had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease — plus 11 Healthy peopleSome of them are relatives of patients.
The team measured mood and depression scores for all participants.
Participants received weekly dance lessons for eight months, which progressed from simple leg and footwork and movements to interpretive movements, waltzes and more complex, choreographed dances, the newspaper reported.
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The researchers focused on a node in the brain, the subcallosal cingulate gyrus (SCG), which has been shown in previous research to be involved in depression.
The team measured Mood and depression scores In all participants using a recognized scale before and after each class, in addition to having regular MRI scans in York.
Brain scans performed during the study showed changes in areas of the patients' brain related to mood, according to the researchers (not pictured). (Istock)
After each dance class, they found that depression rates decreased, and the effect was cumulative from class to class, with “significant” improvements seen after eight months.
The team also found that MRI scans showed decreased signals in the region of the frontal cortex of the brain associated with emotional regulation, and that in a smaller subset of participants, a significant reduction in depression scores was associated with changes in the SCG node.
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“We essentially showed that the SCG blood oxygen level-dependent signal decreases during dancing over time,” said Dr. Carolina Pierce, co-author and professor at Algoma University in Canada.
The team noted that Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease.
“People with Parkinson's disease tend to have multiple symptoms that are not just related to movement.” (Istock)
Before diagnosis, there is a “prodromal” phase that can last for two to 10 years. It is characterized by low mood, even before other symptoms appear, such as tremors.
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“People with Parkinson's disease tend to have multiple symptoms that are not just related to movement,” Pierce said. “There are a lot of symptoms that include poor mental and social health – one of which is depression.”
“What we're trying to do is get people to live a better quality of life.”
The new research builds on the team's previous three-year study that found this Dance training It helps Parkinson's patients with motor control, mood, and other daily life functions.
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It is believed that dancing has a double benefit, as… The music is energizing Reward centers in the brain and movement operates on sensory and motor circuits.
Professor D'Souza, who has been dancing with participants in the program for 14 years, said that although dancing is not a cure for Parkinson's disease in itself, its benefits are clear, according to the report.
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He added: “We are not trying to cure Parkinson's disease with dance. What we are trying to do is make people live a better quality of life. This applies to both those with the disease, as well as Their families who take care of them “From them – and they also get the benefits of feeling better.”
Up to half of Parkinson's patients experience depression or anxiety at some point, reports the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.
A previous study conducted at the University of Sydney found that structured dancing (of any kind) is generally as effective – or even more effective – than other types of physical activity for improving psychological and cognitive outcomes among people with chronic diseases as well as healthy people.
