A Pilot Study of Dance Intervention for Enhancing Executive Function and Physical Performance in Cognitively Impaired Older Adults
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 招募中
- 发起方
- 入组人数
- 50
- 试验地点
- 1
- 主要终点
- Montreal Cognitive Assessment
研究概览
简要总结
This pilot study investigates the effects of a music-based dance intervention on executive function and physical performance in middle-aged and older adults with cognitive impairment. Dance, as a form of dual-task training, integrates music, rhythmic movement, and cognitive-motor coordination. When combined with group interaction and partner-guided physical cues, it has the potential to enhance both cognitive and motor functions simultaneously.
The intervention features a simple, structured dance sequence designed to stimulate rhythm, attention, and coordination through music-based movement. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of this approach in improving executive function and lower limb physical performance among individuals with cognitive impairment.
详细描述
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is an age-related condition that affects memory, judgment, and motor performance, often leading to reduced independence and quality of life. Recent studies have emphasized the interrelationship between cognitive and motor functions, particularly in individuals with neurodegenerative conditions. Interventions that incorporate dual-task training, such as dance, have shown promise in enhancing both domains by combining rhythmic movement, memory recall, physical coordination, and social interaction.
Dance-based interventions, especially those integrating music, external cues, and partner interaction, engage multiple brain regions including the frontal cortex, cerebellum, and hippocampus. These programs stimulate sensory-motor integration and executive control, potentially improving attention, gait, balance, and cognitive flexibility. Existing evidence supports that rhythm- and music-based movement, when combined with cognitive tasks, can enhance brain function, promote emotional regulation, and improve daily functioning in cognitively impaired populations.
This study aims to examine the effects of a structured, music-based dance intervention on executive function and physical performance in middle-aged and older adults with cognitive impairment. The program integrates fixed dance routines with perceptual-motor training and social interaction.
A total of 50 middle-aged and older adults receiving outpatient rehabilitation at a medical center in northern Taiwan were recruited and randomly assigned to either the music-based dance intervention group (n = 25) or the control group (n = 25). The intervention group participated in a nine-week group-based program involving rhythmic movement, mutual physical guidance, and social interaction. The control group completed a nine-week lower limb intermittent exercise program guided by non-musical instructional videos.
Assessments were conducted at three time points: pre-intervention, mid-intervention, and post-intervention. Evaluation tools included:Four-Square Step Test (FSST), Functional Reach Test (FRT), Timed Up and Go - Cognitive (TUG-Cognitive), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT), Modified Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE), Course feedback questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant demographics. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine within-group and between-group differences over time. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS Statistics 26.0, with the significance level set at α < 0.05.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Non Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Treatment
- 盲法
- Single (Outcomes Assessor)
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 55 Years 至 —（Adult, Older Adult）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 否
入选标准
- •Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD) with a score ≥5 on the SCD-Q9 questionnaire, or Mild Behavioral Impairment (MBI) with a score ≥7 on the MBI-Checklist, with symptoms persisting for more than three months.
- •Ability to follow instructions.
- •Ability to stand unsupported or with assistive devices for at least 10 minutes.
- •Ability to walk at least 10 meters, either unsupported or with assistive devices.
排除标准
- •Age below 55 years.
- •Severe visual or hearing impairment.
- •Score <16 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).
- •Emotional or anxiety symptoms caused by psychiatric medications that significantly impair the ability to perform study-related motor tasks.
研究组 & 干预措施
Music-based dance intervention group
The intervention group participated in a structured, nine-week group-based dance program designed to stimulate both cognitive and motor functions. Each 40-minute session was held twice per week and featured music-based rhythmic movement combined with fixed choreography. The dance routines emphasized perceptual-motor training through mutual physical guidance, spatial coordination, and social interaction among participants. The intervention aimed to enhance executive function, balance, and lower limb mobility by incorporating dual-task elements that challenge memory, attention, and physical control in a dynamic, enjoyable setting.
干预措施: Music-based dance (Behavioral)
Control group
The control group participated in a structured, nine-week lower limb exercise program that included intermittent strength and balance training. Sessions were delivered twice weekly through standardized, non-musical instructional videos to ensure consistency and minimize cognitive stimulation.
干预措施: Control (Behavioral)
结局指标
主要结局
Montreal Cognitive Assessment
时间窗: Baseline, mid-intervention (week 5), and one week post-intervention (week 10)
The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is a widely used screening tool for detecting Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). It evaluates seven cognitive domains through 12 subtests, including: visuospatial and executive Function (e.g., cube copying and clock drawing), naming (e.g., visual confrontation naming), attention and Concentration (e.g., digit span, vigilance tasks), language (e.g., sentence repetition and verbal fluency), abstract Reasoning (e.g., similarity identification), memory (immediate and delayed recall), orientation (temporal and spatial). A total score of 26 or above is considered within the normal cognitive range. According to previous studies, a cut-off score of 24 offers optimal discrimination for MCI, with a reported sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 78%.
次要结局
- Four-Square Step Test(Baseline, mid-intervention (week 5), and one week post-intervention (week 10))
- Functional Reach Test(Baseline, mid-intervention (week 5), and one week post-intervention (week 10))
- Timed Up and Go - Cognitive(Baseline, mid-intervention (week 5), and one week post-intervention (week 10))
- Stroop Color and Word Test(Baseline, mid-intervention (week 5), and one week post-intervention (week 10))
- Course Feedback Questionnaire(One week post-intervention (week 10))