Among Threads: An Integrative Review of the Effects of Dance on Cognition in People with Dementia

Abstract

Dementia unravels the threads of the web of life, compromising memory, affect, cognition, and autonomy, with a major global impact on older adults’ health. In this context, dance emerges as a promising non-pharmacological strategy for dementia prevention and for promoting health and well-being. This study investigated the effects of dance on cognitive aspects in older adults with dementia through an integrative literature review, inclu-ding intervention studies with any dance style, conducted with older adults diagnosed with dementia and reporting cognition-related outcomes, with no restrictions on language or publication date. The search was conducted in July 2025 in the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. Three articles were included, totaling 230 participants with dementia, aged 77 to 80 years, mostly women. Cognitive outcomes were not significant; however, dance interventions improved balance, neuropsychiatric symptoms (such as agitation and depression), quality of life, and neuroplasticity. The diversity of dance styles and the heterogeneity of assessment instruments hindered direct comparisons between studies. The findings reinforce the potential of dance as a promising non-pharmacological intervention, especially because it integrates physical, psychosocial, and cognitive stimulation, although studies with greater methodological rigor and more diverse populations are needed to consolidate evidence regarding its effects on cognition. In addition, it is essential to ensure that participants’ voices are heard, broadening the understanding of their impacts and meanings. Dance is understood as a possibility for sensitively reconstructing the web of life, in which each experience can re-tie a thread—however brief—of reconnection with oneself and with the world.