The performers in our PD Rebel Performance Project group already know that singing and dancing are a magic bullet for improved mood and quality of life, but it’s nice to know there is growing research to back up our good vibrations.
Artists don’t need research to convince them that they feel better when they are creating. We do it because it makes us feel wonderful. I do not have PD, but I need my time with my dancers to feel complete.
Some individuals may be curious about those of us who claim singing and dancing with others makes us feel good. The results from this study revealed that when people sing, improvements in mood and motor symptoms, as well as reduced physiological indicators of stress occur. Elizabeth Stegemöller, an assistant professor of kinesiology, says that the improvements among singing participants are similar to the benefits of taking medication. She presented the work at the Society for Neuroscience 2018 conference.
“We see the improvement every week when they leave singing group. It’s almost like they have a little pep in their step. We know they’re feeling better and their mood is elevated,” Stegemöller said. “Some of the symptoms that are improving, such as finger tapping and the gait, don’t always readily respond to medication, but with singing they’re improving.”
Heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol levels were measured, in a therapeutic singing group, along with reported feelings of sadness, anxiety, happiness and anger. Data was collected prior to and following a one-hour singing session.
All three biometric levels were reduced, but with the preliminary data the measures did not reach statistical significance. There were no significant differences in happiness or anger after class. However, participants were less anxious and sad.
Why does singing work?
The results are encouraging, but researchers still have a big question to tackle: What is the mechanism leading to these behavioral changes? They are now analyzing blood samples (to measure levels of oxytocin), changes in inflammation (an indicator of the progression of the disease) and neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain to compensate for injury or disease) to determine if these factors can explain the benefits of singing.
“Part of the reason cortisol is going down could be because the singing participants feel positive and less stress in the act of singing with others in the group. This suggests we can look at the bonding hormone, oxytocin, heart rate and heart rate variability, which can tell us how calm and physiologically relaxed the individual is after singing.”
The research builds upon previous findings that singing is an effective treatment to improve respiratory control and the muscles used for swallowing in people with Parkinson’s disease. Researchers say therapeutic singing could be used as a treatment to improve motor symptoms, stress, and quality of life for people with Parkinson’s.
For more information on the PD Rebel Performance Project, please contact Kimberly Berg (kimberly@kimberlyberg.net or (503) 407-1335).