Is dance more beneficial for cognition than other forms of physical activity?

I am Shrishti Gandhi, a recent Neuroscience graduate and, currently, an associate artist with Sonia Sabri Company (SSCo). I manage SSCO’s dedicated dance troupe, ‘Kathakaars’, finding regular performance opportunities and also performing as part of the group. Recent professional credits include performing as a dance artist for SSCo, touring with their hit summer production, ‘Mughal Miniatures’, across the UK.

I have a keen interest in writing and combining my knowledge of neuroscience from my degree with my passion for Kathak. As an associate artist, I therefore also research and write blog posts for Sonia Sabri Company about the science of dance and Kathak, using my knowledge and interest in health and dance education to create scientific but accessible entries for audiences of all backgrounds.
For my first topic, I wanted to discuss a question which I have wondered for a long time: Is dance more beneficial for cognition than other forms of physical activity?

Physical activity and cognition: What is the link?
Cognition encompasses attention, memory, perception, language, learning, and thinking, all of which are mental processes occurring in the brain. Scientific research has found several ways of improving cognition, including regular exercise which improves brain health through multiple mechanisms, such as activation of cortical plasticity.[1] This is the brain’s ability to reorganise neural pathways by forming new connections between neurones.
Research has found a close association between physical fitness and cognitive performance in a group of healthy elderly participants, with better physical fitness resulting in better cognition[2] and also decreasing the risk of cognitive decline.[3] This is natural with aging but can be delayed or reduced through regular exercise.

Dance as a physical activity
Dance is a brilliant form of physical activity, able to elicit cognitive benefits with regular practice. Through dancing, positive structural and/or functional neuroplastic changes occur in the brain[4] by activating multiple brain regions at once to integrate both auditory and motor information. Studies also found improved memory and attention due to dancing, indicative of its effectiveness in improving plasticity,[5] especially with long-term training.

Alongside the improvements in cognition, dance also leads to a better quality of life by reducing social isolation and positively impacting mood. As an activity, dance is commonly undertaken in groups with participants often providing each other with peer-support, coaching and camaraderie, helping form friendships amongst attendees of the dance class even outside of the studio. The close association between dance and music also evokes strong emotional responses, capable of altering and guiding cognition.[6] These effects demonstrate the beneficial effects of dancing on quality of life beyond its physical and cognitive enhancements.

Is dance better than other forms of physical activity?
Engaging in dance may therefore possibly boast additional cognitive benefits to those observed with other, more traditional forms of physical activity, such as standard fitness programs. These may not be as stimulating for the brain compared to dance[7] which is multisensory and multimodal as it combines acoustic stimulation, rhythmic motor coordination, balance and memory, musical experience, emotions, and social interaction to create an extremely beneficial and enriched environment for participants.[8]

Studies conducted on elderly participants have found such additional benefits in those experiencing dance intervention compared to sports intervention. This includes strengthened connectivity between both hemispheres of the brain, [9] and significant increases in BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor) levels in healthy elderly volunteers. BDNF positively affects neuroplasticity, and has a neuroprotective role, such as preservation or improvement in memory; also found with dancing. These improvements however were not found in the group practicing conventional exercise.[10] Hippocampal volume also increased in a group completing a long-term dance intervention.[11] This brain structure is associated with memory, further agreeing with the finding of dance improving memory.

These findings are from dance studies only assessing elderly participants, presenting uncertainty when generalising to the wider population. Though, the idea that dance training must be long-term and consistent to observe cognitive improvements is applicable to all. Positive changes can only occur in the brain after prolonged dance training, but the duration may vary depending on age. Science has proven children’s brains to be more plastic, meaning they are able to adapt to change and show positive structural and/or functional changes from certain interventions faster than brains of adults/the elderly. This could mean, with regular practice, children may experience the advantageous effects of dancing on both physical and mental health and cognition quicker than those older in age.

Dance and healthcare: What next?
Overall, dance positively affects the brain of individuals from all ages and backgrounds. It is able to benefit cognition on a structural and/or functional level and also improve mood through its affective component. For this reason, dance classes are often socially prescribed to help improve health in a non-pharmacological manner, often as first-line interventions.

The type of dancing may also have an impact – a study found Greek elderly people responded positively to a Greek traditional dance program as it related to their tradition, culture, and life experience.[12] After further research on the cognitive benefits of dance, this finding could be extrapolated for other genres of dance for populations around the world. This would help make dance more accessible and allow more people to benefit from dancing on a global scale, improving their physical fitness, cognition, and wellbeing.

   References:
[1] Zeinab Breijyeh and Rafik Karaman, ‘Comprehensive Review on Alzheimer’s Disease: Causes and Treatment’, Molecules 25, no. 24 (8 December 2020): 5789, https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25245789.
[2] Jan-Christoph Kattenstroth et al., ‘Superior Sensory, Motor, and Cognitive Performance in Elderly Individuals with Multi-Year Dancing Activities’, Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 2 (21 July 2010): 31, https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2010.00031.
[3] David Predovan et al., ‘Effects of Dancing on Cognition in Healthy Older Adults: A Systematic Review’, Journal of Cognitive Enhancement 3, no. 2 (June 2019): 161–67, https://doi.org/10.1007/s41465-018-0103-2.
[4] Teixeira-Machado, Arida, and De Jesus Mari.
[5] Teixeira-Machado, Arida, and De Jesus Mari.
[6] Tobias Brosch et al., ‘The Impact of Emotion on Perception, Attention, Memory, and Decision-Making’, Swiss Medical Weekly 143, no. 1920 (5 May 2013): w13786–w13786, https://doi.org/10.4414/smw.2013.13786.
[7] Jan-Christoph Kattenstroth et al., ‘Six Months of Dance Intervention Enhances Postural, Sensorimotor, and Cognitive Performance in Elderly without Affecting Cardio-Respiratory Functions’, Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 5 (2013), https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2013.00005; Müller et al., ‘Evolution of Neuroplasticity in Response to Physical Activity in Old Age’.
[8] Kattenstroth et al., ‘Superior Sensory, Motor, and Cognitive Performance in Elderly Individuals with Multi-Year Dancing Activities’.
[9] Rehfeld et al., ‘Dance Training Is Superior to Repetitive Physical Exercise in Inducing Brain Plasticity in the Elderly’.
[10] Müller et al., ‘Evolution of Neuroplasticity in Response to Physical Activity in Old Age’; Rehfeld et al., ‘Dance Training Is Superior to Repetitive Physical Exercise in Inducing Brain Plasticity in the Elderly’.
[11] Kathrin Rehfeld et al., ‘Dancing or Fitness Sport? The Effects of Two Training Programs on Hippocampal Plasticity and Balance Abilities in Healthy Seniors’, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 11 (15 June 2017): 305, https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00305.
[12] Styliani Douka et al., ‘Traditional Dance Improves the Physical Fitness and Well-Being of the Elderly’, Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 11 (5 April 2019): 75, https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2019.00075.

top image: Shrishti performing at the Birmingham Weekender 2024
photo credit: Reel Master Production