Impact of Short- and Long-term Tai Chi Mind-Body Exercise Training on Cognitive Function in Healthy Adults: Results From a Hybrid Observational Study and Randomized Trial.
Author: Walsh JN1, Manor B2, Hausdorff J3, Novak V4, Lipsitz L5, Gow B6, Macklin EA7, Peng CK8, Wayne PM9.
Affiliation:
1Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States (Ms Walsh). 2Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States (Dr Manor). 3Movement Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel (Dr Hausdorff). 4Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States (Dr Novak). 5Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States (Dr Lipsitz). 6Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States (Mr Gow). 7Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States (Dr Macklin). 8Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States (Dr Peng). 9Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Division of Preventive Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States (Dr Wayne).
Conference/Journal: Glob Adv Health Med.
Date published: 2015 Jul
Other:
Volume ID: 4 , Issue ID: 4 , Pages: 38-48 , Special Notes: doi: 10.7453/gahmj.2015.058. , Word Count: 270
BACKGROUND:
Cognitive decline amongst older adults is a significant public health concern. There is growing interest in behavioral interventions, including exercise, for improving cognition. Studies to date suggest tai chi (TC) may be a safe and potentially effective exercise for preserving cognitive function with aging; however, its short-term and potential long-term impact on physically active, healthy adults is unclear.
OBJECTIVE:
To compare differences in cognitive function among long-term TC expert practitioners and age-matched and gender-matched TC-naïve adults and to determine the effects of short-term TC training on measures of cognitive function in healthy, nonsedentary adults.
DESIGN:
A hybrid design including an observational comparison and a 2-arm randomized clinical trial (RCT).
PARTICIPANTS:
Healthy, nonsedentary, TC-naive adults (50 y-79 y) and age-matched and gender-matched long-term TC experts.
METHODS:
A cross-sectional comparison of cognitive function in healthy TC-naïve (n=60) and TC expert (24.5 y ÷ 12 y experience; n=27) adults: TC-naïve adults then completed a 6-month, 2-arm, wait-list randomized clinical trial of TC training. Six measures of cognitive function were assessed for both cross-sectional and longitudinal comparisons.
RESULTS:
TC experts exhibited trends towards better scores on all cognitive measures, significantly so for category fluency (P=.01), as well as a composite z score summarizing all 6 cognitive assessments (P=.03). In contrast, random assignment to 6 months of TC training in TC-naïve adults did not significantly improve any measures of cognitive function.
CONCLUSIONS:
In healthy nonsedentary adults, long-term TC training may help preserve cognitive function; however, the effect of short-term TC training in healthy adults remains unclear.
TRIAL REGISTRATION:
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01340365.
KEYWORDS:
Aging; cognitive function; dementia; tai chi
PMID: 26331103 [PubMed] PMCID: PMC4533658 [Available on 2016-07-01]
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