Can Qigong Be a Tool to Assist Students in Handling COVID-19's Resulting Academic Stress?

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has increased students' stress as they may feel under increased pressure to have a good performance and compensate for the disruption to their education. Improving attention levels and learning capacity may assist in ameliorating academic performance. Qigong is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that appears to have positive effects on the management of mental health and may provide tools for coping with stressful situations. This paper explores data obtained while conducting a previous study and includes an excess of data from a total of 44 participants who were previously divided into an experimental Qigong group and a sham Qigong control group. The improvements in specific auditory processing and reaction times may indicate benefits in attention and learning capacity. These improvements were more pronounced in the experimental Qigong group compared to the sham Qigong group. Qigong may be able to assist in improving students' academic performance and can be easily integrated into physical education classes. It could also assist students to cope with the increased academic pressure resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic context.

Perceived Health Benefits of Taijiquan and Qigong.

Background: Taijiquan and qigong are traditional Chinese therapeutic disciplines with several health benefits and the ability to improve the quality of life of their practitioners. As traditional vegetative biofeedback therapies, they can activate functional vegetative changes in the body. These neurovegetative actions have been studied in the last few years to better explain the mechanisms through which these techniques of traditional Chinese medicine work. Primary Study Objective: To support current research, it is important to further explore these neurovegetative actions according to contemporary Chinese medicine models to clarify the mechanisms of their working in light of conventional medical terms. This study aims to explore the health benefits that these practices may produce for practitioners. Methods: 345 taijiquan and qigong practitioners were recruited for this study to assess the perceived health benefits of taijiquan and qigong. We conducted a survey to assist in this purpose. Results: Taijiquan combined with qigong may be more beneficial than taijiquan alone. Additionally, these practices seem to produce notable benefits for anxiety, depression, and other emotional disturbances. They also seem to have positive results in addressing arthritis and pain in the back, shoulder, neck, and knees. In addition, taijiquan and qigong may have benefits in managing several digestive, neurological, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases, and provide some assistance in the management of some oncologic conditions. Conclusion: Breathing exercises, slow and controlled movement, self-massage, and directed thought are the therapeutic characteristics that allow this wide range of potential, perceived health benefits. More scientific studies are needed to confirm the mechanisms through which taijiquan and qigong may benefit health. However, it is suggested that these techniques may have an impact on health mainly via the modulation of the autonomic nervous system.

Electro-Acupuncture Effects Measured by Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging-A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials.

INTRODUCTION: Electro-acupuncture, an innovative adaptation of traditional acupuncture, combines electrical stimulation with acupuncture needles to enhance therapeutic effects. While acupuncture is widely used, its biological mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Recent research has explored the neurophysiological aspects of acupuncture, particularly through functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate its effects on brain activity. METHODS: In this systematic review, we conducted an extensive search for randomized clinical trials examining electro-acupuncture effects measured by fMRI. We employed strict eligibility criteria, quality assessment, and data extraction. RESULTS: Five studies met our inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The selected studies investigated electro-acupuncture in various medical conditions, including carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and obesity. Notably, electro-acupuncture was found to modulate brain activity and connectivity in regions associated with pain perception, emotional regulation, and cognitive processing. These findings align with the holistic approach of traditional Chinese medicine, emphasizing the interconnectedness of body and mind. DISCUSSION: In carpal tunnel syndrome, electro-acupuncture at both local and distal sites showed neurophysiological improvements, suggesting distinct neuroplasticity mechanisms. In fibromyalgia, somatosensory electro-acupuncture correlated with reduced pain severity, enhanced brain connectivity, and increased gamma-aminobutyric acid levels. For Crohn's disease, electro-acupuncture influenced the homeostatic afferent processing network, potentially mitigating gut inflammation. Electro-acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome led to decreased activity in the anterior cingulate cortex, offering pain relief, while electro-acupuncture for obesity impacted brain regions associated with dietary inhibition and emotional regulation. CONCLUSION: This systematic review provides evidence that electro-acupuncture can positively impact a range of medical conditions, possibly by modulating brain activity and connectivity. While the quality of the reviewed studies is generally good, further research with larger sample sizes and longer-term assessments is needed to better understand the mechanisms and optimize electro-acupuncture protocols for specific health conditions. The limited number of studies in this review emphasizes the need for broader investigations in this promising field. The research protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023465866).

A Narrative Review of Current Striae Treatments.

Striae (striae cutis distensae) are a common disfiguring skin condition, characterised by the appearance of linear bands on the skin, with an atrophic look. The striae development is still unknown, being more common in women than in men. The prevalence of this condition ranges from 50% to 90%. Regarding treatment, there are various treatment strategies currently available for stretch marks, including topical preparations such as tretinoin and glycolic acid, and also laser. The goal of this work is to discover the main treatments available for striae management. For that, a search was performed based on the definition of specific scientific keywords, by exploring PubMed, ScienceDirect and Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS). MeSH thesaurus (Medical Subject Headings) descriptors were used. The results indicate that, to date, no treatment is fully effective. More clinical trials are needed to validate the efficacy of these therapies and their long-term use in this type of skin lesion.

Autism Spectrum as an Etiologic Systemic Disorder: A Protocol for an Umbrella Review.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder with a huge prevalence increasing every year (1/44 children). Still diagnosed as a mental disorder, the last 10 years of research found possible causes, risks, genetics, environmental triggers, epigenetics, metabolic, immunological, and neurophysiological unbalances as relevant aetiology. Umbrella methodology is the highest level of scientific evidence, designed to support clinical and political decisions. A literature search for autism aetiology, pathophysiology, or causes, conducted in the last 10 years, at PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Scopus, and the Web of Science, resulted in six umbrella reviews. Nevertheless, only one quantitative analysis reported risk factors and biomarkers but excluded genetics, experiments on animal models, and post-mortem studies. We grouped ASD's multi-factorial causes and risks into five etiological categories: genetic, epigenetic, organic, psychogenic, and environmental. Findings suggest that autism might be evaluated as a systemic disorder instead of only through the lens of mental and behavioural. The overview implications of included studies will be qualitatively analysed under ROBIS and GRADE tools. This umbrella review can provide a rational basis for a new urgent health policy to develop better and adequate integrated care services for ASD. The methodological protocol has the register CRD42022348586 at PROSPERO.

Mental Health Benefits of a Traditional Vegetative Biofeedback Therapy Online Program during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Controlled Trial.

Mandatory lockdown resulting from a pandemic may be effective against the physical impact of the virus; however, the resulting mental strains can lead to the development of several mental disturbances. Taijiquan and Qigong are considered traditional vegetative biofeedback therapies that allow the practitioner to control the functions and processes of the body through specific movements or stances, breathing techniques, and meditative exercises. This study aims to understand if these techniques can be applied as an online distance therapeutic option to reduce the psychological impact of home confinement and social distancing. Sixty-four participants were recruited and allocated to three groups. The experienced and novice Taijiquan and Qigong participants' groups received the intervention for 8 weeks while the control group did not receive any intervention. The outcomes were psychological well-being and psychological distress levels and were assessed by the Mental Health Inventory and a written interview. The experienced Taijiquan and Qigong participants achieved significant improvements in psychological well-being and psychological distress. Novice Taijiquan and Qigong participants achieved a significant improvement in anxiety levels. Additionally, the control group showed a significant decrease in psychological well-being. This study suggests that this distance online program of Taijiquan and Qigong is feasible and may benefit the mental health of participants during a lockdown.

Assessment of Qigong Effects on Anxiety of High-school Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

CONTEXT: Students are vulnerable to developing anxiety, a psychiatric disorder closely related to emotional stress, when systematically stressed by classes, homework, and evaluations. Qigong integrates physical, respiratory, and mental exercises, inducing vegetative biofeedback with significant effects on physiological regulation. OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to assess the potential effects of specific Qigong exercises on students' anxiety levels and evaluate the feasibility of practical integration in a daily school context. DESIGN: The research team developed a randomized controlled trial. SETTING: This study was performed in Cedros and Horizonte private schools located in Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were 104 high-school students at the schools. INTERVENTION: Participants were randomly divided into three groups: (1) an intervention group, the Qigong (QG) group (n = 34), which performed Qigong exercises; (2) a control group, the TV documentary (TVD) group (n = 34), which watched a TV documentary; and (3) a second control group, the typical school duties (TSD) group (n = 36), which performed regular school duties. OUTCOME MEASURES: Anxiety levels were assessed through a psychological test, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and salivary cortisol tests. RESULTS: Psychological and biochemical variables assessed at baseline and postintervention showed a greater decrease in anxiety levels in the QG group than in the other two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Qigong seems to be an efficient tool to reduce anxiety and control the stress of high-school students.

Taijiquan and qigong as a mindfulness cognitive-behavioural based therapy on the treatment of cothymia in school-age children - A preliminary study.

INTRODUCTION: The development and well-being of children are directly linked to several aspects. Among those aspects, physical activity, an adequate nutrition, and a healthy mind, seem to be of crucial importance. Psychopathologies, such as anxiety and depression, have a negative impact on life, especially when co-occurring (mixed-anxiety depression disorder/cothymia), and the clinical implications include a higher risk of suicide and psychiatric hospitalization, elevated disability, decreased compliance with medical treatment, and considerably increased usage of medical services. Thus, research in conventional and nonconventional modalities is necessary to address this issue. The main objective of this study was to understand if TJQ and QG could be effective as a mindfulness cognitive-behavioural based therapeutic tool with body movement, for the treatment of children suffering from cothymia. METHODS: In this small study, six selected children, four males and two females aged between 7 and 11 years old, were taught a set of exercises of TaijiQuan (TJQ) and Qi Gong (QG). To obtain the results, the Achenbach Teacher's Report Form (TRF) was applied at the beginning of the experimental period, as well as at the ending of the experimental period. The resulting scores were analysed to observe the difference between both moments of evaluation. RESULTS: Results showed some improvements in symptoms, with an average improvement of 46%. CONCLUSION: TJQ and QG seem to be a promising complementary therapeutic tool in cognitive-behavioural approaches for children who suffer from cothymia, as well as prevention and control for children who may not display symptoms at a clinical level. However, further research is needed in order to understand the full potential of these therapeutic exercises.

Qigong in the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder is a condition that affects all races, ethnic and socioeconomic groups. With a high incidence ratio of one in every 68, it has become one of the most discussed psychiatric disorders. For this reason, the need for investigating novel treatments has been emerging. Qigong, a traditional Chinese mind-body technique, has already proven to be able to reduce symptoms of several physical and psychological illnesses. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this systematic review is to examine and categorize the current scientific evidence regarding the efficacy of Qigong on children suffering from autism spectrum disorders. SEARCH STRATEGY: A systematic literature search of the electronic scientific databases PubMed, Clinical Trials.gov, BioMed Central, PubMed Central and Google Scholar was performed to identify studies of Qigong in the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder. INCLUSION CRITERIA: This review included randomized controlled trials, replication studies, retrospective studies and observational follow-up studies of Qigong on children with autism spectrum disorder. Case reports and case series were excluded. DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS: Two researchers independently evaluated the methodological quality of all included studies. Any discrepancies were solved by discussion until consensus was achieved. RESULTS: Our literature search identified 157 publications, and 10 additional publications from hand search of references. After duplicate removal, 103 records remained. After the title/abstract screening, 19 publications were obtained for detailed evaluation. After detailed evaluation, 10 studies were included. Seven studies were conducted with small children with 2-6 years old employing Qigong massage, and three studies were conducted with older children aged 7-17 years old applying both Qigong massage (one study) and Neigong (two studies). CONCLUSION: Studies demonstrated that Qigong has interesting and promising applicability and effect on children with autism spectrum disorder and should be tested further. Despite the need for more rigorous controlled studies, Qigong seems to be able to decrease severity of individual sensory, behavioural, and language components of autism, and improve self-control, sociability, sensory and cognitive awareness as well as healthy-physical behaviour. Besides positive effect on children and adolescents, benefits seem to extend to parents and caregivers as well. However, quality of methodology seems to be insufficient to state that Qigong is an alternative to common behavioural therapies. We suggest that, until more investigation is performed, Qigong may only be used as a complement, or when behavioural therapies are not accessible.