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P1‐101: Can ballroom dancing make you smarter? An investigation on its relationship with hippocampal volume and memory performance in older adults
Author(s) -
Carcel Cheryl,
Dasig Darwin,
Noble Perry,
Ledesma Lourdes,
Adapon Henry,
Tuason Josephine
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2012.05.378
Subject(s) - ballroom , gerontology , hippocampus , dementia , medicine , psychology , cognition , population , recall , longitudinal study , physical medicine and rehabilitation , neuroscience , cognitive psychology , history , disease , environmental health , pathology , performance art , art history
Background: The brain ages disproportionately. The hippocampus, which plays a role in the formation of new memories, is exquisitely affected. Longitudinal studies of Raz and Rodrigue account nonlinear rates of atrophy with relative sparing of the hippocampal volume until the fifth decade of life, followed by between 1 to 2% annual declines in later years for nondemented older adults .As an activity commonly engaged in by the elderly population, ballroom dancing may hold as a promising strategy in preventing dementia. Not only can it serve as an alternative method of increasing physical activity in individuals who are otherwise averse to going to the gym but it also provides cognitive stimulation and social interaction. Methods: This is a prospective case-control study. It was done in the outpatient clinics of Makati Medical Center, a tertiary hospital in Makati City, Philippines. All participants included in the study were from ages 60-65 years old. They had at least ten years of education. These individuals have participated in ballroom dancing 30 minutes a day, three days a week for at least 1 year. For the control group, all participants were of the same educational level and age. They were not engaged in significant exercise. A total of 26 individuals were enrolled. There were 13 in each group. Results: There is significant difference in the right and left hippocampal volume and memory performance of those who ballroom danced compared to the control. The odds of having a right hippocampal volume of less 2.8 cm 3 among ballroom dancers is 93% less than those who are not ballroom dancers. The odds of having a left hippocampal volume of less than 2.8 cm 3 is 0 among ballroom dancers compared with those who are not. The odds of poor cognitive function using MMSE 2-EV is 0 among ballroom dancers compared with those who are not. Conclusions: In this pilot study, participants who engaged in ballroom dancing have higher right and left hippocampal volume and have better memory performance when compared to the control group who were sedentary.