Author: Rima Solianik1, Dalia Mickevičienė2, Laura Žlibinaitė3, Agnė Čekanauskaitė3
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup> Department of Health Promotion and Rehabilitation, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania; Institute of Sports Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania. Electronic address: rima.solianik@lsu.lt.
<sup>2</sup> Department of Health Promotion and Rehabilitation, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania; Institute of Sports Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania.
<sup>3</sup> Department of Health Promotion and Rehabilitation, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania.
Conference/Journal: Exp Gerontol
Date published: 2021 Apr 19
Other:
Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2021.111363. , Word Count: 212
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a 10-week tai chi intervention on psychoemotional state, cognition, and motor learning in older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants aged 60-78 years were randomized to either a control group (n = 15) or a tai chi group (n = 15) for a 10-week period. The tai chi group received two, 8-form tai chi classes of 60 min duration per week. Changes in psychoemotional state, cognition, and the learning of fast and accurate reaching movements were assessed. In addition, the potential roles of the autonomic nervous system and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were investigated. Tai chi practice decreased (P < 0.05) perceived stress, whereas no change in autonomic nervous system activity was observed. Improvements in mental switching correlated with decreased depressive symptoms and increased BDNF levels (P < 0.05), whereas improvements in inhibitory control tended to correlate with BDNF levels (P = 0.08). Improvements in visuospatial processing tended to correlate with decreased depressive symptoms (P = 0.07) while improved visuospatial processing correlated with improved motor planning during learning tasks (P < 0.05). This study suggests that tai chi is an effective intervention that can be delivered under pandemic conditions to improve mental and physical function in older adults.
Keywords: BDNF; Cognitive function; Depression; Heart rate variability; Motor function; Stress.
PMID: 33887380 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2021.111363