IMOVE: Protocol for a randomized, controlled 2×2 factorial trial of improvisational movement and social engagement interventions in older adults with early Alzheimer’s disease

January 24, 2023

Hugenschmidt C, Ip E, Laurita-Spanglet J, Babcock P, Morgan A, Fanning J, King K, Thomas J, Soriano CT.

In addition to cognitive impairment, people with Alzheimer’s disease (PWAD) experience neuropsychiatric symptoms (e.g., apathy, depression), altered gait, and poor balance that further diminish their quality of life (QoL). Here, we describe a unique, randomized, controlled trial to test the hypothesis that both movement and social engagement aspects of a group dance intervention alter the connectivity of key brain networks involved in motor and social-emotional functioning and lead to improved QoL in PWAD.