Learning How to Engage in the Community: Integrating Teaching, Service and Research for the Good of Patients with Parkinson's Disease
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Date
2019-04
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Ohio State University. Office of Outreach and Engagement
Abstract
We will provide concise, focused information about: Parkinson's disease (statistics, symptoms, origins); current treatments (pharmacological and alternative); drumming dance rehabilitation (DDR) program and the developing team; implementation of DDR in the community (benefits and challenges); and value of the project for the community, Ohio State, and team members.
Description
Parkinson's Disease (PD) affects around 1 million Americans and nearly 10 million people throughout the world. In America alone, there are approximately 60,000 new diagnoses each year. Decreased dopamine production within the basal ganglia in PD patients results in physical symptoms – akinesia/hypokinesia, rigidity of limbs, and tremors – as well as cognitive impairments (deficits in working memory, virtuospatial tasks, and language). The severity of these symptoms increases with time while the ameliorating effects of pharmacological interventions decrease. There's no cure for PD yet, so current efforts have centered on controlling symptoms and improving patients’ sense of well-being. In recent years, there has been an increase of non-pharmacological interventions for PD such as physical exercise and music therapy. Rhythm training is a promising treatment for the regulation of motor difficulties such as gait and balance and exercise is effective for the release of dopamine. We have developed an innovative program for PD treatment that combines rhythm-based intervention with choreographic movement, (i.e., drumming dance rehabilitation or DDR). DDR is an outstanding platform for PD treatment, because it offers patients with the benefits of both treatments while they enjoy the inherent pleasure that music and dance render. We designed the activities of DDR by working with a small number of PD patients during the 2018 summer and are scheduled to pilot test the program at the Martha Moorehead Center in the fall. We are currently establishing partnership with Columbus Parks and Recreation centers, specifically the Thompson Center which is close to Ohio State. Our goals are to refine the program, test its effectiveness rigorously from a scientific stand (fNIRS technology for neurological outcomes, behavioral and cognitive tests), and offer it free of charge as a service to the community and as a training ground for students in music, health sciences, psychology, neurology, and speech sciences. In the Ignite session, we will introduce the DDR program, the partnership, and the process and challenges we have encountered.
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Eugenia Costa-Giomi, professor, Ohio State School of Music, costa-giomi.1@osu.edu (Corresponding Author); Yune Lee, assistant professor, Ohio State Neurology Department
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Eugenia Costa-Giomi, professor, Ohio State School of Music, costa-giomi.1@osu.edu (Corresponding Author); Yune Lee, assistant professor, Ohio State Neurology Department
Keywords
medicine, music, health and well-being
Citation
Engaged Scholars, v. 7 (2019).