Dance Well Therapy: a Study for Evaluating Efficacy, Safety, and Feasibility

UPDRS III (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, Part III) is a clinical tool used to assess motor function in Parkinson's disease patients. It evaluates symptoms such as tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia, postural stability, gait, and rapid alternating movements. Each item is scored from 0 (no impairment) to 4 (severe impairment), with the total score indicating the overall severity of motor symptoms.

The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) is a widely used tool designed to assess static balance and fall risk in adults. Here are the key points. The scale must be administered by a trained physical therapist, and it consists of 14 tasks, each scored on a 5-point scale (0-4), with 0 indicating the lowest level of function and 4 the highest. Tasks includes activities like sitting to standing, standing unsupported, reaching forward, and turning 360 degrees. It typically takes 15-20 minutes to administer.

The 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is a simple and effective tool used to assess aerobic capacity and endurance, measuring the distance as far as possible an individual can walk in six minutes on a flat, straight surface. The outcome is the total distance walked in meters within the six-minute period. Participants are encouraged to walk back and forth along a marked walkway, with standardized encouragement provided at specific intervals. This test is widely used in clinical and research settings to evaluate walk and to monitor changes over time.

The Timed Up and Go (TUG) Test is a simple and quick assessment used to evaluate mobility, balance, walking ability, and fall risk. It involves the participant sitting in a chair, standing up upon command, walking 3 meters (10 feet), turning around, walking back to the chair, and sitting down. The score consists in time taken to complete the task it is col-lected in seconds. A longer time indicates greater risk of falling.

The Corsi Supra-Span Block Tapping Test aims to assess visuo-spatial working memory and learning processes for a number of information overcoming the short-term memory span. Placed in front of a board, where nine identical blocks have arranged, par-ticipants are required to reproduce a sequence of 9 blocks tapped by the examiner. Partici-pants can learn and recall the sequences through repeated trials, for a maximum of 18 rep-etitions. The global score is the sum of the score obtained for each stem of correct sequence.

Trail Making Test (TMT) A is a paper-and-pencil test, aimed to assess visual atten-tion, while TMT B-A score aims to assess task switching. Part A involves connecting 25 numbered circles in ascending order as quickly as possible. The time taken to complete each part is recorded in seconds, representing the score. B-A score represents the subtrac-tion among TMT B and TMT A scores (where, the part B, aimed to evaluate divided atten-tion consists in connecting 25 circles, alternating between numbers and letters - e.g., 1-A-2-B - as quickly as possible). Higher times indicate greater impairment.

Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is a self-administered questionnaire, aimed to measure the depression symptoms. It consists of 21 Items, each of them item corresponds to a symptom of depression. Each item is rated on a 4-point scale (0-3). The total score ranges from 0 to 63, with higher scores indicating more severe depression.

State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-I) part I is a self-administered questionnaire, aimed to measure state anxiety. It consists of 20 items assessing how one feels at the evalu-ation moment. Each item is rated on a 4-point scale, with higher scores indicating greater anxiety.

Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES), is a self-administered questionnaire, aimed to meas-ure the level of apathy in individuals. It consists of 18 Items (each of them rated on a 4-point scale), assessing behavioral, cognitive, and emotional aspects of goal-directed be-havior. The total score ranges from 18 to 72, with higher scores indicating greater apathy.