Benefits of Digital Dance Game by Older Adults

Benefits of Digital Dance Game Participation by Older Adults on Brain Gray Matter Volume, Physical Function, Cognitive Performance, and Quality of Life: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study aims to examine the clinical efficacy of dancing somatosensory videogames in improving physical health, cognitive performance, happiness, laboratory biomarkers, and structural brain imaging (magnetic resonance imaging, MRI) by a randomized controlled trial design, and hopefully to expand the scope of healthy aging intervention activities with strong scientific evidence.

This randomized controlled trial followed the CONSORT guidelines to compare the clinical efficacy of the intervention group with the control group. The intervention group and control group were randomly allocated (1:1) with no stratification. The intervention group received the dance somatosensory videogame (DSG) training program at the community health center, which consisted of two 30-minute sessions per week for 6 months. The control group were provided with health education for healthy aging and were followed by telephone survey for their daily activities every month during the study period.

The primary outcome of the trial was changes of gray matter volume of the brain done by 3T brain magnetic resonance imaging during the study period. The secondary outcomes included cognitive performance, quality of life, physical activities, resilience, and demoralization. For all outcome variables, the measurements at the baseline and 6-month follow-up were examined by a random intercept and a fixed slope, and the effect of the intervention was estimated by using the Generalized Estimating Equation.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age ≥ 55 years old.
2. More than 6 years of formal education.
3. Can communicate in Mandarin and Taiwanese.
4. Can accept MRI examination without claustrophobia.
5. Can understand the research process, meet the requirements of the research, and can sign the consent form and participate in the subject.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Have engaged in any video dancing games in the past three months.
2. Engaged in video dancing games more than three times per year in the past three years.