Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) and motor rehabilitation in Parkinson’s disease: New frontiers in assessment and intervention protocols

Previous studies have demonstrated that physical therapy accompanied by Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) can improve the motor skills of patients with Parkinson’s disease and, in particular, their gait disturbances. In the present work we describe the neurological bases and perceptual-motor deficits generally associated with Parkinson’s disease, with a specific focus on gait disturbances. Within this framework, we review the role of auditory cueing in the modulation of patients’ gait, addressing this issue from the cognitive, neurological and biomechanical perspectives. In particular, we focus on the new frontiers of both assessment and intervention. With regards to the assessment, we describe the advantages of the three-dimensional quantitative multifactorial gait analysis. As concerns the intervention, we illustrate the potential impact of the administration of ecological footstep sounds as rhythmic cues.