Whether it’s the simple tick of a metronome or the thumping bassline in a disco classic, not all beats are created equal.
A University of Florida Health research team that tested how rhythmic cues influence walking found that both those with Parkinson’s disease and healthy older adults demonstrated improved gait when walking to music compared with a metronome, a device that produces a constant, evenly timed beat, or no auditory cue at all.
People with Parkinson’s disease often walk slowly, take shorter steps and have reduced arm swing and irregular strides. Researchers wanted to know if the Parkinsonian brain remains responsive to external sensory cues. The study, published in the journal JAMA Network Open, included 15 participants with Parkinson’s disease and 15 control-group patients recruited through the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases.
Read more about Music-Based Rhythm Improves Gait in Parkinson’s Patients.
