Background: Tango dancing has been effective in improving measures of physical function in people with

Objectives Our objectives were to: 1) determine intra-rater and test-retest reliability of the FTSTS in Parkinson disease (PD), 2) characterize Five Time Sit to Stand (FTSTS) performance in PD at different disease stages, 3) determine predictors of FTSTS performance in PD, and 4) determine utility of the FTSTS for discriminating between fallers and non-fallers with PD, identifying an appropriate cutoff score to delineate between these groups. Design Measurement study of community-dwelling individuals with idiopathic PD. Setting Participants were examined in a medical school laboratory. Participants Eighty-two participants were recruited via population-based sampling. The final sample included eighty participants. Two were excluded per exclusion criteria and unrelated illness, respectively. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure(s) Five Times Sit to Stand Test (FTSTS) time (seconds). Secondary outcome measures included: Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BEST), Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction – Quadriceps (MVIC), nine hole peg test (9HPT), six minute walk, freezing of gait questionnaire, Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly, Parkinson Disease Questionnaire-39, and Movement Disorders Society-Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale. Results Interrater and test-retest reliability for the FTSTS were high (Intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.99 and 0.76, respectively). Mean FTSTS performance was 20.25 ± 14.12 (seconds). All mobility measures were significantly correlated with FTSTS (p<0.01). The Mini-BEST and 9HPT together explained 53% of the variance in FTSTS. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis determined a cutoff of 16.0 seconds (sensitivity = 0.75, specificity = 0.68) for discriminating between fallers and non-fallers, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.77. Conclusion The FTSTS is a quick, easily administered measure useful for gross determination of fall risk in individuals with PD.

"Are the effects of community-based dance on Parkinson disease severity, balance, and functional mobility reduced with time? A 2-year prospective pilot study." The Journal od Alternative and Complementary Medicine.20,10. 757-763. (2014 Results: There were no differences between groups at baseline. A significant group-by-time interaction (F [2,8] = 17.59; p < 0.0001) was noted for the MDS-UPDRS III, with the AT group having lower scores at 12 and 24 months than the controls. Significant interactions were also noted for the Mini-BESTest, MDS-UPDRS II and I, and 6MWT. Conclusion: This is believed to be one of the longest-duration studies to examine the effects of exercise on PD. Participation in community-based dance classes over 2 years was associated with improvements in motor and nonmotor symptom severity, performance on activities of daily living, and balance in a small group of people with PD. This is noteworthy given the progressive nature of PD and the fact that the control group declined on some outcome measures over 2 years.

Objective To determine the effect of a 12-month community-based tango dance program on activity participation among individuals with Parkinson disease (PD). Design Randomized controlled trial with assessment at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months. Setting The intervention was administered in the community; assessments were completed in a university laboratory. Participants Sixty-two volunteers with PD enrolled in the study and were randomized to treatment group. Ten participants did not receive the allocated intervention, so the final analyzed sample included 52 participants. Intervention Participants were randomly assigned to the Tango group, which involved 12 months of twice weekly Argentine tango dance classes, or to the no intervention Control group (n = 26 per group). Main Outcome Measures Current, new and retained participation in instrumental, leisure and social activities as measured by the Activity Card Sort (with the “dance” activity removed). Results Total Current participation in the Tango group was higher at 3, 6, and 12 months compared to baseline (ps ≤ 0.008), while the Control group did not change (ps ≥ 0.11). Total Activity Retention (since onset of PD) in the Tango group increased from 77% to 90% (p = 0.006) over the course of the study, whereas the Control group remained around 80% (p = 0.60). These patterns were similar in the separate activity domains. The Tango group gained a significant number of New Social activities (p = 0.003), but the Control group did not (p = 0.71). Conclusions Individuals with PD who participated in a community-based Argentine tango class reported increased participation in complex daily activities, recovery of activities lost since the onset of PD, and engagement in new activities. Incorporating dance into the clinical management of PD may benefit participation and subsequently quality of life for this population.

AVM-related ICH confers a significantly higher risk of a first-ever seizure compared to CMs or incidental AVMs. Adults with a CM have a high risk of epilepsy after a first-ever seizure but achieve seizure freedom as frequently as those with epilepsy due to an AVM.