Tai Ji on Cognitive Function Improvement in Parkinson's Disease: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Tai Ji (TJ) can improve cognitive function, which in turn brings life quality to Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. Cognitive function is thus important for PD patients. Analyzing the cognitive function and obtaining precise TJ exercise prescriptions are effective in treating PD patients. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this review was to discuss the current Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) of TJ and cognitive function improvement in PD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, EBSCOhost, Wan Fang, and CNKI, were searched. Cochrane systematic evaluation method was adopted wherein 6 RCTs met the final inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Among the 6 included RCTs, 3 were of high quality, and the rest were of medium quality. Quantitative analysis exhibited that TJ intervention improved the cognitive function of PD patients. TJ promoted the global cognitive function (p < 0.05) and the executive function (p = 0.09) compared with the control. However there was no significant improvement in cognitive motor. TJ training intervention doses of two times a week with 45-60 min sessions over ≤12 weeks could improve the cognitive function of PD patients. CONCLUSIONS: TJ affects the cognitive function of PD patients. However, this effect may have a reduced or no significant impact as the disease increases. PD patients can choose TJ as an intervention for 45-60 min twice a week for at least 12 weeks to accomplish maximum improvement in cognitive function.

L-carnitine's role in KAATSU training- induced neuromuscular fatigue.

KAATSU training at greatly reduced intensities has been proven to result in substantial increases in both muscle hypertrophy and strength. Nevertheless, this revolutionary training method (combined with the restriction of venous blood flow from the working muscle) may cause underlying hypoxia and neurotransmitter dysfunction, which are linked to neuromuscular fatigue. Hence, an exploration of KAATSU training-induced hypoxic and neurodegenerative events is of utmost importance before promoting this training mode, although KAATSU has been shown to result in numerous positive training adaptations. Furthermore, based on substantial evidence, L-carnitine supplementation exerts neuroprotective effects by attenuating hypoxic stress and neurotransmitter dysfunction. However, studies directly examining the effects of KAATSU exercise on both hypoxia and neurotransmitter dysfunction, which would aggravate the detrimental effects of neuromuscular fatigue, are lacking. In addition, an expansion of the applications of L-carnitine to a smaller-molecule field for treating KAATSU training-evoked neuromuscular fatigue requires further clarification. Therefore, this review aims to present the current evidence for the effectiveness of exogenous L-carnitine at reducing the amount of hypoxic damage and its neuroprotective effects mediated by increasing cerebral acetylcholine levels. Simply, L-carnitine administration may be an important contributor to the mechanisms curtailing KAATSU training-induced neuromuscular fatigue.