A new study from York University suggests that dancing could help stop, or even improve, the cognitive decline that often happens in people with Parkinson’s disease.
This is a surprising finding because, usually, Parkinson’s disease causes both movement and thinking problems that get worse over time. But in this long-term study, some participants who danced regularly did not experience further mental decline—and some even showed improvement.
The research was led by Associate Professor Joseph DeSouza from the Faculty of Health at York University, along with Simran Rooprai, a master’s student. The findings are published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. They studied a group of people with Parkinson’s disease who took part in special dance programs in Toronto.
These programs included the Sharing Dance Parkinson’s program at the National Ballet of Canada and the Dance for Parkinson’s Disease program at Trinity St. Paul’s Church.
Over six years, the researchers observed 43 people with Parkinson’s who danced regularly. They compared them to a group of 28 people with Parkinson’s who did not do any physical activity.
The dance classes included warm-ups while sitting, exercises at a ballet barre, and floorwork dances. In one group, participants even learned a full dance routine for a performance.
When researchers compared both groups, they found that the dancers had better scores on thinking and memory tests. The group that didn’t dance either saw no change or got slightly worse. For people with Parkinson’s, this is a big deal, since most are expected to experience memory loss and other cognitive problems as the disease progresses.
According to Rooprai, this study shows that dancing might help keep the brain working longer in people with Parkinson’s. While we don’t yet have a way to cure or repair the brain damage caused by the disease, this research suggests that activities like dance might slow down how quickly the brain declines.
Parkinson’s disease is best known for causing tremors and movement problems, but about four out of five people with the disease also end up with severe problems with memory and thinking. This makes treatments that help with brain health especially important.
Earlier studies led by DeSouza had already shown that dancing can help with depression and movement in Parkinson’s patients. This new study adds even more support to the idea that dance has many benefits.
Rooprai explained that dance is not just physical—it also involves listening to music, learning and remembering dance steps, and interacting with others. All of this stimulates different parts of the brain at once. This mix of physical, mental, and social activity might explain why it is so helpful.
The researchers are now working on a new study with the Baycrest Academy for Research and Education. This time, they will focus on how dance affects working memory in people with Parkinson’s who attend weekly dance classes. DeSouza and Rooprai believe that dance will continue to show positive results for brain health.
In reviewing the findings, it is clear that dance is more than just movement—it’s a powerful tool that may protect the brain, lift mood, and improve quality of life for people with Parkinson’s.
While more research is needed, especially in larger groups, this study offers hope. It also encourages doctors, caregivers, and patients to think about dance not just as recreation, but as part of a treatment plan.
If you care about Parkinson’s disease, please read studies that Vitamin B may slow down cognitive decline, and Mediterranean diet could help lower risk of Parkinson’s.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how wheat gluten might be influencing our brain health, and Olive oil: a daily dose for better brain health..
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