Ask the doctors: Keep dancing to preserve memory

Dear Doctors: In regards to the phenomenon of music and cognition, multiple studies show folks who dance are less likely to develop dementia. This presumably takes the music component and adds memory, movement and doing something to a beat. Every time I see an article on dementia, they neglect to mention dancing.

Dear Reader: In the column you’re referring to, we discussed a recent study about dementia risk and music. The researchers found a lower incidence of dementia among people who listen to music every day. This was compared to those who didn’t listen to music on a daily basis. The study also found that the music group did better on memory and cognitive tests than the non-music group.

The benefits of music for cognition have been making headlines for several years. But we agree with you that the effects of dance on cognition have been mostly absent. As readers here are aware, regular physical exercise has a protective effect on memory. But the discipline needed to start moving and stay moving often is a challenge. Dance is social and fun, so it seems logical it could help people to get off the couch when the gym might not.

That brings us to the study about dance we think you are referring to. Researchers conducted this study at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. The findings were published in 2003 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The researchers analyzed five years of physical and mental health data. They gathered data from 469 adults older than 75. They found that many physical activities correlated to improved cognitive health outcomes, though dancing was the best of them all. Participants who danced regularly had a 76% lower risk of developing dementia in the five years of the study compared to the people who didn’t dance.

The researchers proposed that the multiple disciplines involved in dance activate a broad network of brain regions at once. Dance involves aerobics, coordination, agility and rhythm. It also involves flexibility, balance, memory and social interaction. In a single dance, you are constantly learning, adjusting and adapting. In, say, an evening of dancing, you challenge brain and body in a way that is uniquely complex and rigorous. And over years, the sustained challenges of dancing may have a protective effect on the brain.

Still, there are some important caveats to keep in mind. The first is that this was an observational study. Although it can flag a connection between a behavior and an outcome, it cannot offer proof. The other factor is time. Dementia often takes many years to develop. The 76% lower risk that was cited applies only to the five-year span of the study. A longer follow-up might have had different results. That said, the study clearly shows the potential benefits of this lively activity. So, may we have the next dance?

Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla.edu.