Work

Singing-based interventions for motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review

Year: 2026

Type: review

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by disabling motor and non-motor symptoms. Although pharmacological and rehabilitation interventions improve many motor and non-motor symptoms, persistent impairments commonly remain in domains, including speech, swallowing, gait, and balance, particularly as the disease progresses. For this reason, over the past few years, alternative rehabilitative approaches, such as singing-based interventions, have been used with the aim of addressing symptoms, such as speech impairment, swallowing difficulties, respiratory dysfunction, and mood. OBJECTIVE: We aim to review the evidences on the efficacy of singing interventions on motor and non-motor symptoms in patients with PD. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search of PubMed and Google Scholar was conducted for interventional studies published until December 2025. Results were summarized into five symptom domains: motor function, voice quality, breathing, swallowing, and quality of life. RESULTS: Twenty-six studies involving 1057 patients with PD were included. Singing-based interventions were associated with improvements in motor symptoms, gait, posture, voice quality, respiratory control, and maximum phonation time. Several studies also reported enhanced psychological well-being, social connectedness, and quality of life, with reductions in stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Evidence regarding swallowing outcomes was limited and inconsistent. Considerable heterogeneity in study design, intervention protocols, and outcome measures precluded meta-analysis. CONCLUSION: Singing is a promising adjunct therapy for PD rehabilitation, particularly in domains less responsive to pharmacological treatment. Further high-quality research is needed to establish standardized protocols and assess long-term benefits.

Source: Journal of Neurology

DOI: 10.1007/s00415-026-14072-w