Can Dance Slow Brain Aging? Here’s What Research Found
BALLET SCIENCE PODCAST: EPISODE 44
What if dance could actually change your brain? Not just how you feel… but how your brain functions over time. In this episode, we break down a systematic review and meta-analysis (one of the highest levels of scientific evidence) to answer a powerful question:
Can dance improve cognitive function and help protect against decline as we age?
We will cover:
- What the research says about memory, attention, and executive function
- Why dance may stimulate neuroplasticity
- Whether dance is actually better than other forms of exercise
- What this means for dancers, adults, and aging populations
This isn’t just “exercise is good for you.” This is measurable, clinical data on how movement impacts the brain.
Research citation: Hewston P, Kennedy CC, Borhan S, Merom D, Santaguida P, Ioannidis G, Marr S, Santesso N, Thabane L, Bray S, Papaioannou A. Effects of dance on cognitive function in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Age Ageing. 2021 Jun 28;50(4):1084-1092. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afaa270. PMID: 33338209. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33338209/
