Cognitive, Affective, and Motor Effects of Tangotherapy in Parkinson's Disease (TANGOPD)

August 26, 2025 updated by: Istituto Auxologico Italiano
Neuroscientific research has shown a close relationship between physical fitness and cognition, showing a positive effect of physical activity (e.g., aerobic activity) on the maintenance of psycho-cognitive well-being in the elderly. In particular, dancing seems to be very effective, as it involves both motor and multisensory aspects (touch, sight, hearing, proprioception), stimulating memory, motor learning and social interaction. In fact, dance increases sensory-motor skills and cognitive performance in the neurologically healthy elderly. Dance-based therapeutic approaches, in particular Argentine tango, have also been implemented in the context of neurodegenerative pathologies, including Parkinson's disease (PD) where motor (i.e., tremors, postural instability, motor slowdown) and cognitive difficulties (e.g., executive deficits) may coexist. Most of these studies have so far demonstrated a significant improvement in balance and a reduction in motor symptoms, while evidence regarding cognitive and emotional benefits brought about by dance remains limited. When investigated, cognitive benefits have often been evaluated at the level of global cognition (i.e., screening tests), without a detailed characterization of the effects of tango on cognitive and affective functioning (e.g., executive functions, social cognition, depressive symptoms), central aspects in Parkinson's disease.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

45

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Italy
    • Lombardy
      • Milan, Lombardy, Italy, 20122
        • Istituto Auxologico Italiano IRCCS

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Clinical diagnosis of mild-moderate Parkinson's Disease (modified Hoehn&Yahr Scale 1-3)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Having attended Argentine Tango classes in the past year;
  • Having attended Physical Therapy rehabilitation in the past month;
  • Other neurological diseases (e.g., stroke, traumatic brain injury, brain tumors)
  • Dementia
  • Any clinical condition not compatible with physical activity
  • Deep Brain Stimulation of infusion pumps implants

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Tangotherapy
2 hours of group-based Tangotherapy, weekly, for 6 weeks
Behavioral: Tangotherapy

Learning and practicing a series of moves - both individual and with a partner - taken from Argentine Tango, according to the Riabilitango (R) approach. The training is aimed at improving both physical (e.g., balance, change of direction, coordination, endurance) and cognitive (i.e., learning, divided attention, inhibition, planning) domains, in a pleasant, enjoyable, and inclusive environment.

This group-based training will take place twice a week (1h each session), for 6 weeks.
Active Comparator: Physical Activity
2 hours of group-based physical activity, weekly, for 6 weeks
Behavioral: Physical activity
Walking and stretching in group twice a week (1h each session), for 6 weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Parkinson's Disease Cognitive Rating Scale (PD-CRS) - total score
Time Frame: At the beginning of the treatment, at the end of the treatment (i.e., after 6 weeks), and at 45 days follow-up
A battery of cognitive tests of memory, selective attention, visuo-spatial skills, and flexibility.
At the beginning of the treatment, at the end of the treatment (i.e., after 6 weeks), and at 45 days follow-up
Change in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) - total score
Time Frame: At the beginning of the treatment, at the end of the treatment (i.e., after 6 weeks), and at 45 days follow-up
A scale assessing depressive and anxiety symptoms.
At the beginning of the treatment, at the end of the treatment (i.e., after 6 weeks), and at 45 days follow-up
Change in Health-related quality of Life (EQ-5D-5L) - total score
Time Frame: At the beginning of the treatment, at the end of the treatment (i.e., after 6 weeks), and at 45 days follow-up
A questionnaire about quality of life in different health-related domains.
At the beginning of the treatment, at the end of the treatment (i.e., after 6 weeks), and at 45 days follow-up
Change in Stroop Task - reading time
Time Frame: At the beginning of the treatment, at the end of the treatment (i.e., after 6 weeks), and at 45 days follow-up
A test assessing cognitive inhibition.
At the beginning of the treatment, at the end of the treatment (i.e., after 6 weeks), and at 45 days follow-up
Change in 6 minutes walking Test (6MWT) - Distance Walked
Time Frame: At the beginning of the treatment, at the end of the treatment (i.e., after 6 weeks), and at 45 days follow-up
A test assessing walking performance; i.e., distance walked in 6 minutes.
At the beginning of the treatment, at the end of the treatment (i.e., after 6 weeks), and at 45 days follow-up
Change in Timed Up and Go (TUG) test - Execution Time
Time Frame: At the beginning of the treatment, at the end of the treatment (i.e., after 6 weeks), and at 45 days follow-up
A test used to assess a person's mobility.
At the beginning of the treatment, at the end of the treatment (i.e., after 6 weeks), and at 45 days follow-up
Change in 10 meters walking test (10mWT) - Execution Time
Time Frame: At the beginning of the treatment, at the end of the treatment (i.e., after 6 weeks), and at 45 days follow-up
A test assessing walking performance.
At the beginning of the treatment, at the end of the treatment (i.e., after 6 weeks), and at 45 days follow-up

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Istituto Auxologico Italiano

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Nadia Bolognini, PhD, Laboratorio di Neuropsicologia, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

February 20, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

May 9, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

May 9, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 25, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 6, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

June 15, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

September 3, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 26, 2025

Last Verified

August 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 25C304

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

individual data will be uploaded on zenodo.com

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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