Scientists talked about the effect of dancing on cognitive functions

Dance classes help slow down cognitive decline in Parkinson's disease and in some cases even improve performance. This was reported on December 5 in the journal Medical Xpress.

The long-term work of scientists led by Associate Professor of the Faculty of Public Health Joseph DeSouza studied the changes in the condition of 43 participants with Parkinson's disease who attended various dance programs. The control group consisted of 28 patients leading a sedentary lifestyle.

The authors noted that the cognitive performance of the participants in the dance group improved, while the control group showed no changes or a slight deterioration. DeSouza emphasized that in Parkinson's disease, cognitive decline is an almost inevitable part of the progression of the disease, so the effect found over a six-year period looks atypical.

According to lead author Simran Ruprai, dance classes can help preserve cognitive functions or even partially improve them. She noted that dance involves many areas of the brain: it requires listening to music, memorizing sequences, navigating in space and interacting with other participants. It combines physical, mental and social activities.

On November 27, the journal Science Daily reported that sleep-related breathing disorders that remain untreated can almost double the likelihood of developing Parkinson's disease. The team examined patient data from 1999 to 2022. The study included over 11 million people, making it one of the most extensive studies on the effects of nocturnal respiratory disorders.

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