Author: Gen Li#1, Pei Huang#2, Shi-Shuang Cui1, Yu-Yan Tan1, Ya-Chao He1, Xin Shen1, Qin-Ying Jiang3, Ping Huang4, Gui-Ying He1, Bin-Yin Li1, Yu-Xin Li3, Jin Xu3, Zheng Wang5, Sheng-Di Chen6
Affiliation:
1 Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
2 Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China. hp12585@rjh.com.cn.
3 Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China.
4 Shanghai Key Laboratory for Bone and Joint Diseases, Shanghai Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200003, China.
5 School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavior and Mental Health, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China. zheng.wang@pku.edu.cn.
6 Department of Neurology and Institute of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China. chensd@rjh.com.cn.
Conference/Journal: Transl Neurodegener
Date published: 2022 Feb 7
Other:
Volume ID: 11 , Issue ID: 1 , Pages: 6 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1186/s40035-022-00280-7. , Word Count: 331
Background:
Tai Chi has been shown to improve motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD), but its long-term effects and the related mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effects of long-term Tai Chi training on motor symptoms in PD and the underlying mechanisms.
Methods:
Ninety-five early-stage PD patients were enrolled and randomly divided into Tai Chi (n = 32), brisk walking (n = 31) and no-exercise (n = 32) groups. At baseline, 6 months and 12 months during one-year intervention, all participants underwent motor symptom evaluation by Berg balance scale (BBS), Unified PD rating-scale (UPDRS), Timed Up and Go test (TUG) and 3D gait analysis, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), plasma cytokine and metabolomics analysis, and blood Huntingtin interaction protein 2 (HIP2) mRNA level analysis. Longitudinal self-changes were calculated using repeated measures ANOVA. GEE (generalized estimating equations) was used to assess factors associated with the longitudinal data of rating scales. Switch rates were used for fMRI analysis. False discovery rate correction was used for multiple correction.
Results:
Participants in the Tai Chi group had better performance in BBS, UPDRS, TUG and step width. Besides, Tai Chi was advantageous over brisk walking in improving BBS and step width. The improved BBS was correlated with enhanced visual network function and downregulation of interleukin-1β. The improvements in UPDRS were associated with enhanced default mode network function, decreased L-malic acid and 3-phosphoglyceric acid, and increased adenosine and HIP2 mRNA levels. In addition, arginine biosynthesis, urea cycle, tricarboxylic acid cycle and beta oxidation of very-long-chain fatty acids were also improved by Tai Chi training.
Conclusions:
Long-term Tai Chi training improves motor function, especially gait and balance, in PD. The underlying mechanisms may include enhanced brain network function, reduced inflammation, improved amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism and neurotransmitter metabolism, and decreased vulnerability to dopaminergic degeneration. Trial registration This study has been registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Registration number: ChiCTR2000036036; Registration date: August 22, 2020).
Keywords: Brain network; Mechanism; Motor symptoms; Parkinson’s disease; Tai Chi.
PMID: 35125106 PMCID: PMC8819852 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-022-00280-7
