Effect of dance movement psychotherapy in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia 12: A pilot feasibility study

Dance movement psychotherapy (DMP) has demonstrated positive outcomes in the physical and psychological rehabilitation of individuals with neurodegenerative conditions. This study assesses the impact of DMP on the motor and nonmotor symptoms of a small group of patients with spinocerebellar ataxia 12 (SCA-12). This interventional study, using a pre-post design without a control group, was conducted on eight SCA-12 patients from the Movement Disorders Clinic (Institute of Neurosciences Kolkata). The DMP sessions were conducted over 2 months, twice weekly for one hour each, and were organized into (1) check-in and opening ritual, (2) warm-up, (3) process work, and (4) relaxation and closing ritual. All patients were tested before and after the intervention using the International Cooperative Rating Scale (ICARS), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), and World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF (WHOQOL-BREF). There was a significant reduction in the median total HAM-A score, from 13 to 6 (p 0.017). The median total HAM-D score also decreased significantly, from 12.0 to 4.50 (p 0.012). The psychological, social, and environmental domains of WHOQOL-BREF increased significantly. The reduction in ICARS scores did not reach statistical significance. Qualitatively, patients expressed appreciation for the frequency and duration of the sessions and reported feeling respected, supported, and safe throughout the therapeutic process. DMP showed potential for environmental enrichment and appears to be a promising approach for the treatment of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and overall quality of life in patients diagnosed with SCA-12.