COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
CAN DANCING HELP YOUR BRAIN? S
lowly, through the persistence of pioneers in the art and science communities, a swell of interest has been build- ing in the scientific community to better understand art
from a scientific perspective. As the population ages, scien- tific research into the functional benefits of the arts is increas- ingly focused on how art helps older adults find meaning and maintain independence. Dance is particularly intriguing in the context of aging because it combines art with physical, cog- nitive, and social activity, all of which have known benefits for the aging body and brain. A study by Verghese and colleagues in 2007 asked whether leisure time activities were linked with decreased risk of memory loss. To the authors’ surprise, dance was the only activity associated with protection from memory loss. That study is compelling, but it only measured one point it time. A recent clinical trial from Germany by Müller and colleagues found that in healthy older adults, 18 months of dance in- creased brain volume, improved verbal memory, and in- creased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Neurotrophic factors are like vitamins for brain cells that your body makes on its own. Previous research demonstrated that BDNF increases with aerobic exercise and is correlated with brain volume and memory, but this is the first time it has been shown in dance. Winston-Salem has its own NIH-funded clinical trial about
the effects of dance, a great fit for the “City of Arts and Innova- tion”. Instead of focusing on healthy older adults, the IMOVE study examines how dance affects the brains and bodies of older adults experiencing early stages of memory loss. Many people don’t realize it, but memory loss is often accompanied by changes in walking and balance. Published studies show that people with memory loss are more likely to fall than oth- ers their same age who do not have memory loss, and falls are one of the main reasons people with memory loss have to visit the emergency room. Memory loss can also be linked with decreased social engagement. Dance might be a way to help with both movement and social engagement at the same time. The pilot study for IMOVE showed that participating in
dance movement twice a week for 8 weeks improved balance, mood and functional connections in the brain in motor regions and in regions important for social engagement in people with early-stage memory loss. However, the pilot study was small. It is possible these effects might not be the same across a larger group of people. Also, it didn’t answer important questions about why the dance movement was helpful. Was it the movement or the social interactions that increased brain connectivity, or was it important to have movement and social contact together? The current larger study will answer these
questions. The IMOVE study is unique in several ways. First, it uses
improvisational movement. Before you quit reading, this does not mean people wear all black like Dieter’s dance party or twirl ribbons. Improvisational movement is a modern dance form that uses open-ended movement cues rather than cho- reographed or repeated movements. This method has been honed by dancer and choreographer Christina Soriano to be used for people of all ages and abilities in a method she calls IMPROVment®. This means that dancers can work to their own level of challenge safely, even remaining seated. It also creates a fun, playful atmosphere because there is not a “right” way to do any movement. Because the movements change rap- idly, it is cognitively challenging. At the same time, movements don’t have to be remembered from exercise to exercise or class to class. Another unique aspect of the IMOVE study is that people with memory concerns come with a partner, like a spouse, friend, or family member, creating an opportunity to spend time together.
To learn more about the IMOVE study or other studies about aging or memory loss, feel free to contact the IMOVE study team at 336-713-MOVE (713-6683),
visit
www.wakehealth.edu/beinvolved/IMOVE, or
www.improvment.us
to learn more about the IMPROVment® method.
There is a beauty in discovery. There is mathematics in music, a kinship of science and poetry in the description of nature, and exquisite form in a molecule. Attempts to place different
disciplines in different camps are revealed as artificial in the face of the unity of knowledge. ~ Glenn Seaborg, chemist
APRIL 2019 15
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