Adapted motor activity with pleasant music in Parkinson’s disease: a longitudinal study.

Adapted motor activity with pleasant music in Parkinson’s disease: a longitudinal study. Objectives: Previous studies suggest the relevance of the Adapted Motor Activity with Pleasant Music (AMAPM) in improving the motor activities, in triggering positive emotions and in enhancing the quality of life of patients suffering from Parkinson's disease (PD) [1,2,3]. The goal of this study is to evaluate the evolution of cognitive functioning, functional integrity, psychological condition and quality of life in patients with idiopatic PD who followed a program of AMAPM for 12 months. The follow-up includes also the evaluation of the burden of the main caregiver. Patients: All the subjects were recruited among patients with diagnosis of Idiopatic PD with mild to moderate motor impairment, without significant cognitive impairment (MMSE≥ 21/30) and not very dependent (Schwab & England > 50%), evaluated in “ON” condition, not treated with Apomorphine or PEG. The patients were tested with MMSE, UPDRS, GHQ-28, GDS, PDSS-2, PDQ-39 and CBI. Method: Sixteen patients were assessed in two subsequent sessions (January 2015 and January 2016) in the following domains: cognitive functioning (MMSE), mental state (UPDRS 1), activities of daily living (UPDRS 2), motor activities (UPDRS 3), stage of disease (Hoehn and Yahr scale), patient ability to function (Schwab and England scale), psychiatric symptomatology (GHQ-28), sleep disorders (PDSS-2), quality of life (PDQ-39) and caregiver burden (CBI). Results: At the first evaluation, patients (M/F: 10/6) had a mean age of 70 (range: 60-79; s.d. 5,91), a mean duration of disease of 7,12 years (range: 2-18; s.d. 3,93) and a mean score at MMSE of 25,94 (range: 22-29; s.d. 1,91). At the follow-up assessment, comparing data 12 months later for all the variables considered, no significant differences were observed in the sample, with the exception of a significant improvement in the values of UPDRS III (p <0.05). Discussion: Patients show a substantial stability of their clinical condition after 12 months of AMAPM, with evidence of improvement in motor symptoms. There are no evidences of impairment in cognitive functions and in psychiatric state, in particular for depressive symptoms and sleep disorders. Patients quality of life and caregiver burden didn't change. Conclusions: This study suggests the possibility that AMAPM might help to slow down the progression of PD, contributing to preserve both psychological and physical well-being and to maintain an acceptable quality of life. These results, however, should be confirmed with a larger sample and with a control group.