Efficacy of a theatre-based intervention in patients with Parkinson’s disease

Although evidence suggests that different forms of artistic expression may have a positive effect on health, the limits and nature of their effects have not yet been fully elucidated. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of a theatre-based intervention in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). To this end, we assigned participants to two types of interventions over three months: a) theatre-based, which included both active (theatrical workshops) and passive (attending theatrical performance) participation activities, and b) cognitive stimulation, which involved tasks designed to stimulate attention and memory to be carried out at home. Before and after the intervention, participants were assessed on several measures, including cognition (memory, language, and executive functions), mood (depression and anxiety), emotional state (apathy and anhedonia), and quality of life (Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39, PDQ-39).By comparing participants’ performance pre- and post-intervention, we found that, while neuropsychological test scores did not change significantly due to the intervention, participants reported cognitive improvements in the PDQ-39. Also, depressive symptoms and anxiety decreased significantly after the intervention in both groups. Finally, emotional well-being improved only in participants enrolled in the theatre-based intervention.In conclusion, our study findings demonstrated that theatre-based interventions have specific benefits for emotional well-being and non-specific benefits in reducing depressive symptoms and anxiety, as well as self-perceived cognitive improvements. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms that promote these benefits.