Effect of dance therapies on motor-cognitive dual-task performance in middle-aged and older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Purpose

To systematically review the effectiveness of dance-based programs to improve motor-cognitive dual-task performance in middle-aged and older adults.

Materials and methods

Five scientific databases were selected to identify the articles included in this systematic review. Ninety-one articles were found in the electronic databases. Fourteen articles fulfilled all inclusion and exclusion criteria. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed with a modified version of Downs and Black checklist. PRISMA guidelines were followed in the data extraction process. The overall effect size of the improvements was calculated through a meta-analysis.

Results

All the studies had an acceptable methodological quality. Dance-based interventions had a duration of 8–52 weeks, 1–3 sessions per week, with sessions lasting 40–90 min. According to the overall effect size, dance-based interventions significantly improved dual-task performance (−0.48 with a 95% confidence interval from −0.88 to −0.08).

Conclusions

Dance-based intervention programs may be effective at improving the performance on motor-cognitive dual-task in middle-aged and older adults. Apart from the effects on the cognitive Time Up and Go test, dance interventions may also improve speed walking with a cognitive task. All these conclusions must be taken with caution due to the heterogeneity and the small number of articles. Future research can be developed to increase the knowledge on these issues.

Implications for rehabilitation

• Interventions based on dance as part of rehabilitation can improve the performance on TUG under dual-task condition in aging.

• Interventions based on dance can be effective to improve the development of some tasks of daily life by reducing time in a motor task under dual task condition in aging.

• Physical therapists, personal trainers and other clinicians can use different types of dance for improving dual-tasking among the adults.

Keywords:

• Dance
• dual task
• gait
• TUG
• cognitive

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they do not have any competing interests with the conducted research.

Additional information

Funding

The author AMG was supported by a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport (FPU17/03130). The author SV was supported by a grant from the regional department of economy and infrastructure of the Government of Extremadura and the European Social Fund (PD16008). The author JLLL was supported by a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport (FPU18/05655). This study was also supported by Consejería de Educación y Empleo, Junta de Extremadura, Secretaría de Estado de Investigación and Desarrollo e Innovación. The funders played no role in the study design, the data collection, and analysis, the decision to publish, or the preparation of the manuscript.

This study was co-funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness reference no DEP2015-70356 (MINECO/FEDER, UE) in the framework of the Spanish National R + D + i Plan. This study was also funded by the Research Grant for Groups (GR18155) funded by Junta de Extremadura (Regional Government of Extremadura) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF/FEDER) “a way of doing Europe”.