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BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT article

Front. Aging Neurosci.
Sec. Neurocognitive Aging and Behavior
Volume 16 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1398871
This article is part of the Research Topic Dance, Embodied Agency and Neuroplasticity in Aging View all 9 articles

Neural effects of multisensory dance training in Parkinson's disease: Evidence from a longitudinal neuroimaging single case study

Provisionally accepted
Jenny R. Simon Jenny R. Simon 1Judith Bek Judith Bek 2,3*Katayoun Ghanai Katayoun Ghanai 1Karolina A. Bearss Karolina A. Bearss 1Rebecca E. Barnstaple Rebecca E. Barnstaple 1Rachel Bar Rachel Bar 4Joseph F. DeSouza Joseph F. DeSouza 1
  • 1 Department of Psychology, Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • 2 Centre for Motor Control, Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • 3 School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
  • 4 Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS), Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Dance is associated with beneficial outcomes in motor and non-motor domains in Parkinson's disease (PD) and regular participation may help delay symptom progression in mild PD. However, little is known about the neurobiological mechanisms of dance interventions for PD.The present case study explored potential neuroplastic changes in a 69-year-old male with mild PD participating in regular dance classes over 29 weeks. Functional MRI was performed at four timepoints (pre-training, 11 weeks, 18 weeks, 29 weeks), where the individual imagined a dance choreography while listening to the corresponding music. Neural activity was compared between dance-imagery and fixation blocks at each timepoint.Analysis of functionally defined regions revealed significant blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal activation in the supplementary motor area, right and left superior temporal gyri and left and right insula, with modulation of these regions observed over the training period except for the left insula.The results suggest the potential for dance to induce neuroplastic changes in people with PD in regions associated with motor planning and learning, auditory processing, rhythm, emotion, and multisensory integration. The findings are consistent with dance being a multimodal therapeutic activity that could provide long-term benefits for people with PD.

    Keywords: Parkinson's disease, fMRI, dance, Neurorehabilitation, neuroplasticity, Learning, Motor Imagery

    Received: 10 Mar 2024; Accepted: 04 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Simon, Bek, Ghanai, Bearss, Barnstaple, Bar and DeSouza. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Judith Bek, Centre for Motor Control, Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, M5S 1A1, Ontario, Canada

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.