Dance as rehabilitation in Parkinson’s disease: A scoping review of cognitive, motor, and non-motor outcomes

Background: Dance is regarded as a multimodal experience which integrates movement, music, cognitive, and social engagement, potentially providing a non-pharmacological care approach for persons with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD). While numerous studies have investigated the benefits of dance for motor outcomes, less is known about the influence on cognitive and non-motor symptoms. Objective: To explore the scope, characteristics, and influence of dance-based interventions for PD, while examining how often cognitive and non-motor symptoms were analyzed relative to motor outcomes. Methods: Guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodological framework for scoping reviews, a search was carried out across three databases to identify relevant literature, followed by title, abstract, and full text screening by three independent reviewers. Data were extracted on study and intervention characteristics, outcome domains, and reported effects. Results: Thirty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The most used interventions were tango and Dance for Parkinson’s Disease (DfPD) programs, typically delivered in community settings, twice weekly, for approximately 60 minutes per individual session. In contrast to motor symptoms, which were assessed most frequently (89%), non-motor and cognitive symptoms were assessed in 76% and 47% of studies, respectively. Motor outcomes demonstrated the most consistent improvements (84%), followed by non-motor improvements (53%) and cognitive gains (32%). Collectively, non-motor and cognitive outcomes were increasingly assessed within the last decade and demonstrated variable findings. Conclusion: Although cognitive and non-motor symptoms have a well-documented impact on quality of life in PD, these domains have received less attention than motor outcomes within the dance-based literature. Measures of cognitive and non-motor outcomes, alongside longer-term interventions with larger samples, should be incorporated in future protocols for a better understanding of the multidimensional impact of dance in PD.