Video game play (Dance Dance Revolution) as a potential exercise therapy in Huntington’s disease: a controlled clinical trial

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of a supervised video game exercise program administered via Dance Dance Revolution in individuals with Huntington’s disease. Design: A cross-over, controlled, single-blinded, six-week trial. Setting: Home-based. Participants: Eighteen ambulatory individuals with Huntington’s disease (seven male, mean age 50.7 SD 14.7). Interventions: Participants played the Dance Dance Revolution game with supervision and the handheld game without supervision for 45 minutes, two days per week for six weeks. Outcome measures: Game play performance and adherence, participant perceptions of the game, safety (vital signs, adverse health changes), spatiotemporal gait measures, Four-Square Step Test, Tinetti Mobility Test, Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale, and World Health Organization Quality of Life – Bref, before and after each intervention. Results: Most participants improved on game play, enjoyed playing the game, and wanted to continue playing after study completion. After playing Dance Dance Revolution, participants showed significant reductions in double support percentage (adjusted mean difference (95% confidence intervals): –2.54% (–4.75, –0.34) for forward walking and −4.18 (–6.89, –0.48) for backward walking) and those with less severe motor symptoms had reductions in heel-to-heel base of support during forward walking. The remaining measures were not significantly impacted by the intervention. Conclusion: Dance Dance Revolution appears to be a feasible, motivating, and safe exercise intervention for individuals with Huntington’s disease.