Argentine Tango, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease and prevention
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“More and more doctors are writing an unusual prescription for their patients with Parkinson’s disease: Go out dancing and call me in the morning.
A growing body of research suggests that dance, notably the tango, can improve balance, strength and walking ability in people with neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, as well as multiple sclerosis and stroke.“
When I read this post from the Department of Neurology of the Washington University School of Medicine, I smiled.
I always felt that tango can impact people’s lives, and it is great to see that it is being more and more accepted worldwide, not just for people who already struggle with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, but also for people who are focusing on prevention.
“Dance therapy has been gaining acceptance because researchers looking for new avenues of treatment have found that it works.
At the heart of all movement disorders is a breakdown or disconnect in the proper signaling between our brains and the peripheral nervous system that controls our muscles. The problems manifest themselves in balance and gait problems, poor coordination, involuntary or irregular muscle movements, tremors, tics and other repetitive movements.
In the case of Parkinson’s disease, the problems begin when certain clusters of neurons in the midbrain start to die. Researchers examining the benefits of exercise on our health noted not only the cardiovascular benefits and lower incidence of diabetes, but that it also had a positive effect our nervous system, both mentally and in terms of movement.
Researchers noticed that while all exercise proved beneficial, some forms were better than others. Dance proved better than walking and treadmill workouts for Parkinson’s patients. Research by Gammon Earhart, a professor of physical therapy, neurology and neurobiology at the School of Medicine of Washington University in St. Louis, found that the tango proved better than the waltz and fox trot, even better than tai chi, in improving movement in patients with Parkinson’s disease.”
“Dance as a treatment for Parkinson’s is widely accepted and is endorsed by the American Parkinson Disease Association,” the article continued.
But I was always more interested in the human side of research, so when I read the following I felt my heart smiling:
“David Popick, 34, of Ellington, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease a year ago. He has added dancing to his regimen of exercises shown to benefit those with Parkinson’s. He came to the center for the first time in May and plans to continue with the program.
“I feel differently when I dance,” Popick said. “It’s like I can move again like I used to.”
With a prescription for dancing, Dr. Joy Antonelle de Marcaida, medical director of Hartford Hospital‘s Movement Disorders Center in Vernon said, “we can give a treatment that’s not $100 a pill.” “
Why don’t more people know about this?
I was really intrigued, and since I already lost one person of my family from Alzheimer’s I decided to explore what kind of results have been found, not just for treatment, but also for prevention.
Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and Parkinson’s prevention
The first article I stumble upon caught my eye:
“On the fourth floor of Buenos Aires’ largest psychiatric hospital, patients dance the tango with doctors and nurses.
[…] Doctors as far afield as Italy and Australia are using Argentina’s world famous tango to treat problems ranging from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease to phobias and marital breakdowns.“
I saw pictures of people dancing and smiling. What a blessing I thought…
Then I found a video of Professor Michael Valenzuela about the rising incidence of dementia and the key factors for its prevention. And once again, tango was part of it, since it combines mental, physical, and social activity, all important factors for reducing dementia risk, according to the professor.
I dance tango since 2009, and I have written two of the most well known tango books. I felt that I am already doing one of the best things I could do to reduce my risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and that felt good.
On the other hand, I recently moved to Antanhol, a village close to the city of Coimbra in Portugal. Opportunities for tango around here are few, but when tango friends are visiting during the summer in our tango AirBnB, I make sure to dance a few songs. It just feels great. The combination of a warm hug, beautiful music, and the feeling of connection is just unique. And when I give a tango session, I feel like I am offering so much more than just a dance. We all need to feel we are contributing in other people’s lives.
What about you? Do you have enough tango in your life?