Group therapeutic singing improves clinical motor scores in persons with Parkinson's disease

Elizabeth Stegemoller; Emily Forsyth; Bhavana Patel; Ahmad Elkouzi

doi:10.1136/bmjno-2022-000286

Group therapeutic singing improves clinical motor scores in persons with Parkinson's disease

BMJ Neurol Open. 2022 Aug 3;4(2):e000286. doi: 10.1136/bmjno-2022-000286. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Elizabeth Stegemoller¹, Emily Forsyth¹, Bhavana Patel², Ahmad Elkouzi³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Kinesiology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA.
² Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
³ Department of Neurology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois, USA.

Abstract

Background: Previous reports suggest that group therapeutic singing (GTS) may have a positive effect on motor symptoms in persons with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Objective: To determine the effect of a single session of GTS on clinical motor symptoms.

Methods: Clinical motor symptom assessment was completed immediately before and after 1 hour of GTS in 18 participants.

Results: A significant decrease in average scores for gait and posture and tremor, but not speech and facial expression or bradykinesia was revealed.

Conclusion: These results support the notion that GTS is a beneficial adjuvant therapy for persons with PD that warrants further research.

Keywords: PARKINSON'S DISEASE.