NCT03269149

Tango for Alzheimer's Disease Patients' Caregivers

Effects of Adapted Tango on African-American Women Caregivers of Alzheimer's Disease Patients

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 60 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Emory University · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 45 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of the project is to determine the extent to which indices of inflammatory biomarkers, cognition and mood, are influenced by a partnered, dance-based intervention vs control condition in African American (AA) female family caregivers, at high risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Detailed description

The importance of informal family caregiving in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is well-established. African-American caregivers are most often middle aged adult children of AD patients (vs. spouses), women, and are at higher risk for chronic health problems. AD lifestyle interventions offer an alternative to medication, and are generally affordable, accessible, and adaptable to the lives of caregivers. To date, most non-pharmaceutical interventions have focused on exercise and nutrition, both of which have proven to be highly successful in conferring AD related benefits and decreasing AD risk. The goal of the project is to determine the extent to which indices of inflammatory biomarkers, cognition and mood, are influenced by a partnered, dance-based intervention vs control condition in African American (AA) female family caregivers, at high risk for Alzheimer's disease.

Conditions

• Alzheimer's Disease

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Adapted Tango Dance	20 improvisational, 90-minute adapted tango dance sessions over a 12-week period. Classes begin with a 20-minute standing warm-up followed by partnering and rhythmic exercises. Next, novel step elements are introduced and participants will be taught how to combine the new steps with previously learned steps via improvisation. Caregivers will dance with each other or undergraduate /graduate student volunteers. Music will be played throughout classes and artistic expression, i.e., attention to aesthetics, and improvisation, will be encouraged.
BEHAVIORAL	Educational lectures	Participants will take part in at least 20 educational lectures offered twice per week over 12 weeks. Classes will also be 1.5 hours long and will involve lecture, partnered and group learning and extensive Q\&A will be encouraged.

Timeline

• Start date: 2017-09-19
• Primary completion: 2026-04-01
• Completion: 2026-04-01
• First posted: 2017-08-31
• Last updated: 2025-04-22

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States