Dance, music therapy could help manage Parkinson’s disease: Study

A recent study conducted at Jaslok Hospital on Pedder Road has demonstrated the positive impact of dance and music therapy on Parkinson’s disease management.

The study, initiated in March of the previous year, aimed to assess the effects of dance and music therapy and meditation on disease progression and the quality of life of patients and caregivers. Participants were divided into a control group and a therapy group, with the latter further divided into sub-groups for dance or music therapy, based on their preference.

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) affects over 10 million people globally, with a particularly high prevalence in Asia, notably in India. The disease significantly impairs motor functions and quality of life due to the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Current treatments focus primarily on symptom management, leaving a critical gap in altering the disease’s progression.

The study, which was spearheaded by Dr Paresh Doshi, neurosurgeon, included 28 patients with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease.

Its primary objective was to examine the impact of dance, music and meditation on the progression of mild and moderate Parkinson’s disease and assess the impact of these therapies on the quality of life of the caregivers.

“We had 13 patients in the control group and 15 patients who were divided into subgroups for dance or music therapy based on participant preference. Both the groups were given the standard care. Reassessment was done after six months,” said Dr Doshi.

For the patients undergoing dance or music therapy, Dr Doshi said there was an hourlong class that included stretching and coordinating exercises and dance or music activities. The class ended with 15-minutes of guided meditation.

“Several Parkinson’s Disease related scorings were performed to evaluate the motor function, behaviour, mood, and cognitive functions of these patients before the trial and on the completion of the trial. The control group was also evaluated similarly,” he said.

According to the team of neurosurgery doctors at Jaslok, music has been shown to improve motor rhythmicity, while dance uses sensory-motor methods to enhance movement and balance. Both music and dance are also known to uplift mood and improve the quality of life of Parkinson patients. Meditation, on the other hand, can restore self-awareness and help regulate thoughts and emotions, reducing psychological distress.

“We assessed two main areas of primary results. The first was the quality of life (measured by Parkinson’s disease Questionnaire-PDQ39), and the second was the Unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale – UPDRS, which is considered the gold standard to determine the impact of any treatment on the progression of Parkinson’s disease. Additionally, we included two other data points to evaluate the impact of this treatment on the caregivers: PDQ-Carer change and Zarit Burden Interview Change. All these four endpoints showed significant improvement, which was statistically significant. The study outcomes suggest that dance and music therapy may offer tangible benefits in managing Parkinson’s disease, especially in improving physical aspects and quality of life, as well as reducing the burden on caregivers,” said Dr Doshi.

Krishna Kadam, 55, was diagnosed with moderate Parkinson’s disease and was one of the 15 patients enrolled for the study at Jaslok Hospital last year. “I was started on music therapy in April and can feel remarkable improvement since then,” he said.

While the hospital is sending the study for publishing in scientific journal, it plans to hold further research on longer-term studies, exploring other forms of alternative therapies, or conducting similar studies on larger and more diverse populations.