Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience (Oct 2021)

Dance Intervention Impact on Brain Plasticity: A Randomized 6-Month fMRI Study in Non-expert Older Adults

  • Zuzana Balazova,
  • Zuzana Balazova,
  • Radek Marecek,
  • Radek Marecek,
  • L’ubomíra Novakova,
  • Nela Nemcova-Elfmarkova,
  • Sylvie Kropacova,
  • Luboš Brabenec,
  • Roman Grmela,
  • Pavlína Vaculíková,
  • Lenka Svobodova,
  • Irena Rektorova,
  • Irena Rektorova

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2021.724064
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13

Abstract

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Background: Dance is a complex activity combining physical exercise with cognitive, social, and artistic stimulation.Objectives: We aimed to assess the effects of dance intervention (DI) on intra and inter-network resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) and its association to cognitive changes in a group of non-demented elderly participants.Methods: Participants were randomly assigned into two groups: DI and life as usual (LAU). Six-month-long DI consisted of supervised 60 min lessons three times per week. Resting-state fMRI data were processed using independent component analysis to evaluate the intra and inter-network connectivity of large-scale brain networks. Interaction between group (DI, LAU) and visit (baseline, follow-up) was assessed using ANOVA, and DI-induced changes in rs-FC were correlated with cognitive outcomes.Results: Data were analyzed in 68 participants (DI; n = 36 and LAU; n = 32). A significant behavioral effect was found in the attention domain, with Z scores increasing in the DI group and decreasing in the LAU group (p = 0.017). The DI as compared to LAU led to a significant rs-FC increase of the default mode network (DMN) and specific inter-network pairings, including insulo-opercular and right frontoparietal/frontoparietal control networks (p = 0.019 and p = 0.023), visual and language/DMN networks (p = 0.012 and p = 0.015), and cerebellar and visual/language networks (p = 0.015 and p = 0.003). The crosstalk of the insulo-opercular and right frontoparietal networks were associated with attention/executive domain Z-scores (R = 0.401, p = 0.015, and R = 0.412, p = 0.012).Conclusion: The DI led to intervention-specific complex brain plasticity changes that were of cognitive relevance.

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