Effect of Dance Intervention on Cognitive Function and Related Cerebellar Dynamic Functional Connectivity in Patients With Schizophrenia

Background: The cerebellum is a critical node implicated in the pathology of schizophrenia. Previous studies have demonstrated that dance interventions can enhance cerebellar functional connectivity in healthy individuals. These findings suggest that dance intervention might represent a promising treatment for patients with schizophrenia. Methods: A total of 32 patients with schizophrenia were randomly assigned to two groups: a dance group (n = 18) and an aerobic exercise group (n = 14). Clinical symptoms and cognitive function, along with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, were collected from all participants at baseline and post-intervention. The cerebellar motor (CBCm) and cerebellar cognitive (CBCc) regions were defined for the calculation of dynamic functional connectivity (dFC). Repeated-measures analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) were conducted for statistical analysis. Result: = 0.021) scores. Conclusions: These findings suggest that dance intervention specifically enhances cerebellar connectivity patterns, potentially improving attention and verbal memory in patients with schizophrenia. Clinical Trial Registration: No: ChiCTR2100049273, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=65597.