Tai chi, irisin and cognitive performance: a clinical and biological investigation in older adults.

BACKGROUND: Skeletal muscle is the main source of circulating irisin, both at rest and during physical activity. Previous studies have suggested that irisin can improve cognitive abilities. AIMS: We explored whether six months of Tai Chi (TC) practice can modulate such a relationship in healthy older persons. METHODS: This is a prospective clinical study to evaluate the effects of TC practice as compared with low intensity exercise (LI) and no exercise (NE) control groups on plasmatic irisin levels and cognitive performance. Forty-two healthy older persons were stratified into three groups according to physical activities. Biochemical assay and cognitive functions were assessed at the baseline and after six months. RESULTS: A significant change was found in circulating irisin levels in TC as compared with NE group (p = 0.050) across time. At six months in TC group irisin levels significantly correlated with a verbal memory test (p = 0.013) controlled by age and education. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest the potential benefits for cognitive health of TC practice by irisin levels modulation.

Enhancing Tai Chi Training System: Towards Group-Based and Hyper-Realistic Training Experiences.

In this article, we propose a lightweight and flexible enhanced Tai Chi training system composed of multiple standalone virtual reality (VR) devices. The system aims to enable a hyper-realistic multi-user action training platform at low cost by displaying real-time action guidance trajectories, providing real-world impossible visual effects and functions, and rapidly enhancing movement precision and communication interest for learners. We objectively evaluate participants' action quality at different levels of immersion, including traditional coach guidance (TCG), VR, and mixed reality (MR), along with subjective measures like motion sickness, quality of interaction, social meaning, presence/immersion to comprehensively explore the system's feasibility. The results indicate VR performs the best in training accuracy, but MR provides superior social experience and relatively high accuracy. Unlike TCG, MR offers hyper-realistic hand movement trajectories and Tai Chi social references. Compared with VR, MR provides more realistic avatar companions and a safer environment. In summary, MR balances accuracy and social experience.

Acute effects of different Tai Chi practice protocols on cardiac autonomic modulation.

Tai Chi serves as an effective exercise modality for enhancing autonomic regulation. However, a majority of existing studies have employed the single routine (SR) protocol as the basis for health interventions. The extent to which the gong routine application (GRA) protocol achieves similar levels of exercise load stimulation as traditional single practice routines remains uncertain. Therefore, this study the distinct characteristics of autonomic load stimulation in these different protocols, thus providing a biological foundation to support the development of Tai Chi health promotion intervention programs. we recruited a cohort of forty-five university students to participate in the 15 min GRA protocol and SR protocol. We collected heart rate and heart rate variability indicators during periods of rest, GRA protocol, and SR protocol utilizing the Polar Scale. Additionally, we assessed the mental state of the participants using the BFS State of Mind Scale. In summary, the autonomic load is lower in the GRA protocol compared to the SR protocol, with lower sympathetic activity but higher parasympathetic activity in the former. Results are specific to college students, additional research is necessary to extend support for frail older adults. It is advised to incorporate GRA protocol alongside SR protocol in Tai Chi instruction. This approach is likely to enhance Tai Chi skills and yield greater health benefits.

The effect of Tai Chi lower extremity exercise on the balance control of older adults in assistant living communities.

BACKGROUND: Although Tai Chi (TC) is an evidence-based fall prevention training for older adults, its effective movements remain unclear, which may limit the practice of TC. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of TC lower extremity exercise (TC LEE), the 8-form Tai Chi (8-form TC), and a stretching control intervention for improving balance and functional mobility among older adults. METHODS: This was a randomized controlled trial. A total of 102 participants (79 ± 6 years old) were recruited from assisted living facilities. All participants were randomly assigned to the TC LEE (n = 40), 8-form TC (n = 31), and stretching (n = 31) groups in which they received the respective interventions for 16 weeks. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and center of pressure (COP) measurements during quiet stance were collected prior to and following the 16-week interventions. Comparisons on all measurements were conducted among all groups. RESULTS: Significant improvements were found in BBS (P = 0.002), TUG test (P = 0.001), root mean square amplitude of COP displacement in the anterior-posterior (P = 0.001) and medial-lateral (P = 0.001) directions, and average COP speed in the anterior-posterior (P = 0.001) and medial-lateral (P = 0.001) directions after training in the TC intervention groups compared with the stretching group. The upper limit of the 95% confidence interval (CI) of differences in change scores on the BBS (-0.8 - 1.3 points) between the TC LEE group and the 8-form TC group was within equivalence margins (1.8 points), while the upper limit of the 95% CI of differences in change scores on the TUG test (0.1 - 2.1 s) exceeded the equivalence margin (0.7 s) with the TC LEE group having the larger change scores. CONCLUSION: TC LEE can improve balance and functional mobility in older adults, and may have greater effect than the 8-form TC on improving functional mobility as measured by the TUG test. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2300070600 retrospectively registered.

Metabolic impairments associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus and the potential effects of exercise therapy: An exploratory randomized trial based on untargeted metabolomics.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common condition that is characterized by metabolic impairments. Exercise therapy has proven effective in improving the physiological and psychological states of patients with T2DM; however, the influence of different exercise modalities on metabolic profiles is not fully understood. This study first aimed to investigate the metabolic changes associated with T2DM among patients and then to evaluate the potential physiological effects of different exercise modalities (Tai Chi and brisk walking) on their metabolic profiles. METHODS: This study included 20 T2DM patients and 11 healthy subjects. Patients were randomly allocated to either the Tai Chi or walking group to perform Dijia simplified 24-form Tai Chi or brisk walking (80-100 m/min), with 90 minutes each time, three times per week for 12 weeks, for a total of 36 sessions. The healthy group maintained daily living habits without intervention. Glycemic tests were conducted at the baseline and after 12 weeks. Serum and urine samples were collected for untargeted metabolomic analyses at baseline and 12 weeks to examine the differential metabolic profiles between T2DM and healthy subjects, and the metabolic alterations of T2DM patients before and after exercise therapy. RESULTS: Compared to the healthy group, T2DM patients exhibited metabolic disturbances in carbohydrates (fructose, mannose, galactose, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis), lipids (inositol phosphate), and amino acids (arginine, proline, cysteine, methionine, valine, leucine, and isoleucine) metabolism, including 20 differential metabolites in the serum and six in the urine. After exercise, the glycemic results showed insignificant changes. However, patients who practiced Tai Chi showed significant improvements in their post-treatment metabolic profiles compared to baseline, with nine serum and six urine metabolites, including branch-chained amino acids (BCAAs); while those in the walking group had significantly altered nine serum and four urine metabolites concerning steroid hormone biosynthesis and arachidonic acid metabolism compared to baseline. CONCLUSION: T2DM patients displayed impaired carbohydrate, lipid, and amino acid metabolism, and exercise therapy improved their metabolic health. Different modalities may act through different pathways. Tai Chi may improve disrupted BCAAs metabolism, whereas brisk walking mainly regulates steroid hormone biosynthesis and arachidonic acid metabolism.

The effects of different types of Tai Chi exercises on preventing falls in older adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Few studies comparing the effects of different types of Tai Chi exercises on preventing falls in older adults. We compared the effects for finding an optimal intervention. METHODS: We searched 12 databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and so on, from their inception to January 13, 2023. Randomized controlled trials incorporating different types of Tai Chi for preventing falls in older adults were included. The outcome measures were the incidence of falls and Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Network meta-analysis (NMA) was conducted using Stata 15.1 based on a frequentist framework. RESULTS: Seventeen trials were eligible, including 3470 participants and four types of Tai Chi. They were 24-form simplified Tai Chi (24-form), Yang style Tai Chi (Yang style), Sun style Tai Chi (Sun style) and Tai Chi exercise program (TCEP). In paired meta-analysis, for incidence of falls, 24-form (Relative Risk (RR) = 0.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.40, 0.86]) was more efficient than the control group. For BBS outcome, 24-form (MD (mean difference) = 2.32, 95% CI [1.42, 3.22]) was better than the control group. In the NMA, the results of incidence of falls were as follows: 24-form > Yang style > Sun style > control > TCEP. The rank probability of BBS was as follows: 24-form > TCEP > Yang style > control. CONCLUSION: Among the four types of Tai Chi studied, the 24-form simplified Tai Chi has shown better efficacy than other types.

Estrategias de intervención motora sobre el control postural en niños y jóvenes con trastorno del espectro autista: una revisión sistemática / Motor intervention strategies on postural control in children and youth with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review

El trastorno del espectro autista (TEA) posee características variadas con un impacto a nivel social, comunicativo y sensoriomotor (SM). Una característica SM son los problemas sobre el control postural (CP). Variadas son las estrategias de intervención motora (EIM), pero el beneficio sobre el CP es algo que se ha analizado de forma menos amplia. El objetivo fue describir las EIM y sus resultados sobre el CP de niños y adolescentes con TEA. Se realizó una búsqueda en PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science y Cochrane. Un total de ocho artículos cumplieron con los criterios de elegibilidad. Todas las EIM mostraron resultados beneficiosos sobre el mejoramiento del CP y fueron de diferente naturaleza (práctica de bailes, actividad física personalizada, videojuegos, Tai Chi Chuan, Taekwondo y realidad virtual). Es necesario mejorar los diseños y considerar los riesgos de sesgos, pues limitan el alcance de los resultados.(AU)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has varied characteristics with an impact at the social, communicative and sensorimotor (SM) level. An SM feature is postural control (PC) problems. There are various motor intervention strategies (MIS), but the benefit over LC is something that has been analyzed less extensively. The objective was to describe the MIS and its results on the PC of children and adolescents with ASD. A search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Cochrane was performed. A total of eight articles met the eligibility criteria. All MIS showed beneficial results on the improvement of PC. The MIS were of a varied nature (dance practice, personalized physical activity, video games, Tai Chi Chuan, Taekwondo and virtual reality). It is necessary to improve the designs and consider the risks of bias, since they limit the scope of the results.(AU)

Cognitively enhanced tai chi improved cognition vs. tai chi or stretching at 24 wk in older adults with MCI or memory concerns.

SOURCE CITATION: Li F, Harmer P, Eckstrom E, et al. Clinical effectiveness of cognitively enhanced tai ji quan training on global cognition and dual-task performance during walking in older adults with mild cognitive impairment or self-reported memory concerns: a randomized controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2023;176:1498-1507. 37903365.

Traditional Chinese exercises on depression: A network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Exercise is an important factor for the treatment and rehabilitation of depression. Traditional Chinese exercise is considered as an effective treatment for depression. In recent years, many studies have shown that Chinese exercise therapy may be safe in the treatment of depression. To evaluate the therapeutic effect of traditional Chinese exercise on depression using network meta-analysis. METHODS: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP shop Database, China Biomedical Literature Database, and Wan Fang Data Knowledge Service Platform were included in randomized controlled studies on traditional Chinese exercises for the treatment of depression from the establishment of the library to July 2023. The literature was extracted and assessed for risk of bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment and statistically analyzed using Review Manager 5.4 and Stata 14.2. RESULTS: A total of 25 studies involving 3 exercises with a total of 1605 cases were included. The results of the network meta-analysis showed that each exercise significantly reduced the 24-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-24), Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and Self-rating Depression Scale scores. However, conventional treatments have the advantage of improving the sleep quality of patients with depression. CONCLUSIONS: The 3 exercises included in this study were effective for depression. Baduanjin and Tai Chi were better at improving the outcomes related to depression and anxiety. The effect of sleep quality intervention was slightly worse. Larger, high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to compare interventions across exercises in a more granular manner.

Effect of Tai Chi vs Aerobic Exercise on Blood Pressure in Patients With Prehypertension: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Prehypertension increases the risk of developing hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases. Early and effective intervention for patients with prehypertension is highly important. Objective: To assess the efficacy of Tai Chi vs aerobic exercise in patients with prehypertension. Design, Setting, and Participants: This prospective, single-blinded randomized clinical trial was conducted between July 25, 2019, and January 24, 2022, at 2 tertiary public hospitals in China. Participants included 342 adults aged 18 to 65 years with prehypertension, defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 120 to 139 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP (DBP) of 80 to 89 mm Hg. Interventions: Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to a Tai Chi group (n = 173) or an aerobic exercise group (n = 169). Both groups performed four 60-minute supervised sessions per week for 12 months. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was SBP at 12 months obtained in the office setting. Secondary outcomes included SBP at 6 months and DBP at 6 and 12 months obtained in the office setting and 24-hour ambulatory BP at 12 months. Results: Of the 1189 patients screened, 342 (mean [SD] age, 49.3 [11.9] years; 166 men [48.5%] and 176 women [51.5%]) were randomized to 1 of 2 intervention groups: 173 to Tai Chi and 169 to aerobic exercise. At 12 months, the change in office SBP was significantly different between groups by -2.40 (95% CI, -4.39 to -0.41) mm Hg (P = .02), with a mean (SD) change of -7.01 (10.12) mm Hg in the Tai Chi group vs -4.61 (8.47) mm Hg in the aerobic exercise group. The analysis of office SBP at 6 months yielded similar results (-2.31 [95% CI, -3.94 to -0.67] mm Hg; P = .006). Additionally, 24-hour ambulatory SBP (-2.16 [95% CI, -3.84 to -0.47] mm Hg; P = .01) and nighttime ambulatory SBP (-4.08 [95% CI, -6.59 to -1.57] mm Hg; P = .002) were significantly reduced in the Tai Chi group compared with the aerobic exercise group. Conclusions and Relevance: In this study including patients with prehypertension, a 12-month Tai Chi intervention was more effective than aerobic exercise in reducing SBP. These findings suggest that Tai Chi may help promote the prevention of cardiovascular disease in populations with prehypertension. Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry Identifier: ChiCTR1900024368.

Are Tai Chi and Qigong effective in the treatment of traumatic brain injury? A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) adversely affects both young and old and is a growing public health concern. The common functional, psychological, and cognitive changes associated with TBI and recent trends in its management, such as recommending sub-threshold aerobic activity, and multi-modal treatment strategies including vestibular rehabilitation, suggest that Tai Chi/Qigong could be beneficial for TBI. Tai Chi and Qigong are aerobic mind-body practices with known benefits for maintaining health and mitigating chronic disease. To date, no systematic review has been published assessing the safety and effectiveness of Tai Chi/Qigong for traumatic injury. METHODS: The following databases were searched: MEDLINE, CINAHL Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Wanfang Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. All people with mild, moderate, or severe TBI who were inpatients or outpatients were included. All Types of Tai Chi and Qigong, and all comparators, were included. All measured outcomes were included. A priori, we chose "return to usual activities" as the primary outcome measure as it was patient-oriented. Cochrane-based risk of bias assessments were conducted on all included trials. Quality of evidence was assessed using the grading of recommendation, assessment, development, and evaluation (GRADE) system. RESULTS: Five trials were assessed; three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and two non-RCTs; only two trials were conducted in the last 5 years. No trial measured "return to normal activities" or vestibular status as an outcome. Four trials - two RCTs and two non-RCTS - all found Tai Chi improved functional, psychological and/or cognitive outcomes. One RCT had a low risk of bias and a high level of certainty; one had some concerns. One non-RCTs had a moderate risk of bias and the other a serious risk of bias. The one Qigong RCT found improved psychological outcomes. It had a low risk of bias and a moderate level of certainty. Only one trial reported on adverse events and found that none were experienced by either the exercise or control group. CONCLUSION: Based on the consistent finding of benefit in the four Tai Chi trials, including one RCT that had a high level of certainty, there is a sufficient signal to merit conducting a large, high quality multi-centre trial on Tai Chi for TBI and test it against current trends in TBI management. Based on the one RCT on TBI and Qigong, an additional confirmatory RCT is indicated. Further research is indicated that reflects current management strategies and includes adverse event documentation in both the intervention and control groups. However, these findings suggest that, in addition to Tai Chi's known health promotion and chronic disease mitigation benefits, its use for the treatment of injury, such as TBI, is potentially a new frontier. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO [ CRD42022364385 ].

Effects of tai chi, ba duan jin, and walking on the mental health status of urban older people living alone: the mediating role of social participation and the moderating role of the exercise environment.

With the global trend of aging, lacking of interpersonal communication and spiritual support and companionship have had a great impact on the mental health of older people living alone. This study examines the multifaceted impacts of engaging in tai chi, ba duan jin, and walking on the mental wellbeing of older people residing alone in urban areas. Additionally, this research aims to explore the association between tai chi, ba duan jin, and walking, and the mental health status of urban older people living alone, by considering the mediating influence of social participation and the moderating influence of the exercise environment. To do so, 1,027 older people living alone in six Chinese cities were investigated using the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), the Geriatric Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), the Social Participation Indicator System Scale, and the Exercise Environment Scale. SPSS 25.0 was utilized for conducting mathematical statistical analysis, specifically for doing linear regression analysis. Additionally, AMOS was employed to develop the study model. We found that a significant negative correlation between tai chi, ba duan jin, and walking and mental health status; among these, tai chi had the greatest impact on the mental health status of urban older people living alone. Social participation mediated the relationship between tai chi, ba duan jin, walking, and mental health status, and the exercise environment had a moderating effect on this relationship. The findings of this study indicate that tai chi, ba duan jin, and walking have a positive impact on the mental health of urban older people living alone, which can be influenced by the mediating efficacy of social participation and the moderating effect of the exercise environment.

Tai Chi training as a primary care plan for the prevention and management of hypertension: an opinion and positioning article.

Hypertension is a prevalent chronic condition worldwide that can impact patients' quality of life. Oral antihypertensive drugs are widely used to manage high blood pressure, primarily by regulating the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Nevertheless, limited efficacy and low compliance represent significant obstacles, arising primarily from dose, duration, and medication type restrictions. Furthermore, the prolonged use of antihypertensive medication may result in dependence and adverse effects, without any substantial improvement in achieving targeted blood pressure leves. As a result, research has focused on using exercise therapy to treat hypertension. Tai Chi, a widely-practiced Chinese health exercise, has evolved into a form of exercise therapy that might help alleviate the risk associated with hypertension. Therefore, this article aims to outline the role of Tai Chi in preventing and managing hypertension.

Effects of aerobic exercise or Tai Chi Chuan interventions on problematic mobile phone use and the potential role of intestinal flora: A multi-arm randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Problematic use of mobile phones (PMPU) has been described as a serious public health issue. METHODS: This study was a parallel three-arm randomized controlled trial and has completed registration (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05843591). Ninety college students with PMPU were randomly assigned to the aerobic exercise group (AE group, n = 30), the Tai Chi Chuan group (TCC group, n = 30), or the wait-list control group (WLC group, n = 30). At the end of the intervention, stool samples from the study participants were collected for biological analysis based on 16 S rDNA amplicon sequencing technology. The primary outcome was addiction symptoms assessed by the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV). The secondary outcomes are emotional symptoms, physical symptoms, and flora species. RESULTS: Compared with the WLC group, the AE and TCC groups showed reductions in PMPU levels, physical and mental fatigue, but there was no difference between the two groups. Moreover, the effect of increasing self-esteem embodied in the TCC group was not present in the AE group. Compared to the WLC group, the relative abundance of Bacteroidaceae and Bacteroides were lower in the AE group, while the relative abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae and Alistipes were lower in the TCC group. And the relative abundance of Bacteroidaceae, Bacteroides, and Alistipes were significantly and negatively correlated with the decline in PMPU scores. CONCLUSION: AE or TCC is an effective, safe and efficient intervention for college students with PMPU, providing some physiological and psychological benefits and having some impact on their intestinal flora.

Meta-analysis of the intervention effects of tai chi on fasting blood glucose, blood pressure and triglyceride in middle-aged and elderly people.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia have emerged as global health concerns of paramount significance. With the burgeoning popularity of mind-body therapy, cardiovascular patients have increasingly exhibited a vested interest in the practice of Tai Chi. The objective of this study seeks to quantitatively assess the impact of Tai Chi interventions on blood pressure, lipid levels, and glucose concentrations among the elderly population, thereby explaining the optimal intervention protocol. METHODS: An extensive search was conducted across multiple databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, CNKI, WANFANG DATA, RISS, KISS, and DBPIA, comprising English, Korean, and Chinese literature. The search strategy employed a retrieval method of subject term 1 + subject term 2, which included both full names and abbreviations of the terms. Specifically, "taijiquan" or "Tai Chi" were set as the Term 1, while Term 2 was set as "blood pressure," "BP," "Fasting blood glucose," "FBG," "Triglyceride," and "TG." Thereafter, the retrieved articles were filtered in accordance with the PICOS method. Risk of bias assessment was performed using RoB 2.0, while data analysis was conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 3.7. RESULTS: A total of 57 studies, including 3,856 research subjects, were eligible for inclusion. The findings of the primary effect quantitative synthesis demonstrated that Tai Chi exerted an improvement on systolic blood pressure (SBP) (ES = -0.764, p < .001), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (ES = -0.426, p = .001), triglyceride (TG) (ES = -0.452, p < .001), and fasting blood glucose concentrations (FBG) (ES = -0.552, p = .002) among middle-aged and elderly individuals. Subgroup analysis further revealed that the intervention effects were significantly influenced by the characteristics of the research subjects and the specific intervention protocol employed. CONCLUSION: Tai Chi, as a gentle form of aerobic exercise, exerts a profound impact on reducing blood pressure, fasting blood glucose levels, and triglyceride concentrations among middle-aged and elderly individuals. Notably, the intervention effect is particularly pronounced among male patients afflicted with hypertension, hyperglycemia, and hyperlipidemia. Based on the collective advantages underscored by this research, we strongly recommend engaging in Tai Chi exercises for a minimum duration of 16 weeks, with each session lasting 30-50 min and conducted 6-7 times per week, without any restrictions on the style employed.

The effect of Tai Chi exercise intervention on sleep quality in community residing older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: While clinical research has shown that Tai Chi exercise may improve the sleep quality of older adults, there is a lack of robust evidence-based verification. Therefore, this study conducted a systematic review of published research on the effect of Tai Chi exercise on the sleep quality of community-dwelling older adults, aiming to provide solid evidence-based medicine to enhance their sleep quality. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, WanFang, VIP, and SinoMed databases from their inception to December 9, 2022. The Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool 2.0 was used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies. RESULTS: This systematic review included 12 original articles, involving a total of 1,058 community-dwelling older adults, with 553 in the Tai Chi group and 505 in the control group. The meta-analysis results revealed a significant improvement in the sleep quality of community-dwelling older adults who practiced Tai Chi compared to the control group [WMD = - 1.96 (95% CI: - 3.02 to - 0.90, z = 3.62, P < 0.001)]. Subgroup analysis showed that Tai Chi had significantly beneficial effects regardless of age, country/region, intervention time, and Tai Chi type. CONCLUSIONS: Tai Chi exercise can serve as an effective non-medication approach for addressing sleep problems in this demographic. Among the various types of Tai Chi exercises, the 24-form Tai Chi exercise emerges as a preferred option. Moreover, Tai Chi exercise proves to be an excellent choice for older people in their later years, promoting their overall well-being and health.

Unravelling the role of mind-body therapies in paediatric palliative care: A narrative review.

AIM: Given the multifaceted nature of paediatric palliative care (PPC), integrative medicine and mind-body therapies, in particular, are increasingly used in this setting. However, to our knowledge, their use in PPC has never been specifically reviewed. Therefore, this work aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the application and possible beneficial effects of mind-body therapies in the PPC setting. METHODS: Papers about the use of meditation and mindfulness, biofeedback, hypnosis, yoga, tai chi and qi gong, imagery, creative outlets, and art therapy in PPC were identified by browsing PubMed and CINHAL. RESULTS: We found that the harmless nature of mind-body therapies has been extensively described, and available studies consistently show some benefits on the anxiety, stress, and quality of life of parents/caregivers and healthcare providers. However, well-grounded and robust evidence does not fully support the efficacy of mind-body therapies, especially in patients. CONCLUSION: Considering the peculiarity of the PPC setting, we suggest that mind-body therapies should be further considered and properly investigated through larger controlled studies and according to the different populations of PPC children, as well as for parents, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.

Tai Chi improves non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease: One-year randomized controlled study with the investigation of mechanisms.

BACKGROUND: Tai Chi was found to improve motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD). Whether long-term Tai Chi training could improve non-motor symptoms (NMS) and the related mechanisms were unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate Tai Chi's impact on non-motor symptoms in PD and related mechanisms. METHODS: 95 early-stage PD patients were recruited and randomly divided into Tai Chi (N = 32), brisk walking (N = 31), and no-exercise groups (N = 32). All subjects were evaluated at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months within one-year intervention. Non-motor symptoms (including cognition, sleep, autonomic symptoms, anxiety/depression, and quality of life) were investigated by rating scales. fMRI, plasma cytokines and metabolomics, and blood Huntingtin interaction protein 2 (HIP2) mRNA levels were detected to observe changes in brain networks and plasma biomarkers. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients completed the study. Non-motor functions assessed by rating scales, e.g. PD cognitive rating scale (PDCRS) and Epworth Sleepiness scale (ESS), were significantly improved in the Tai Chi group than the control group. Besides, Tai Chi had advantages in improving NMS-Quest and ESS than brisk walking. Improved brain function was seen in the somatomotor network, correlating with improved PDCRS (p = 0.003, respectively). Downregulation of eotaxin and upregulation of BDNF demonstrated a positive correlation with improvement of PDCRS and PDCRS-frontal lobe scores (p ≤ 0.037). Improvement of energy and immune-related metabolomics (p ≤ 0.043), and elevation of HIP2 mRNA levels (p = 0.003) were also found associated with the improvement of PDCRS. CONCLUSIONS: Tai Chi improved non-motor symptoms in PD, especially in cognition and sleep. Enhanced brain network function, downregulation of inflammation, and enhanced energy metabolism were observed after Tai Chi training.

Effects of Bafa Wubu and He-Style Tai Chi exercise training on physical fitness of overweight male university students: A randomized controlled trial.

This study aimed to compare the effects of 12-week Bafa Wubu Tai Chi (BW-TC) and traditional He-style Tai Chi (TH-TC) exercise training on physical fitness parameters in overweight university students and to compare the differences in their effects. A total of 81 overweight male university students were randomly assigned to the BW-TC group (N = 27), the TH-TC group (N = 27), and the control group (CG, N = 27). Upper limb grip strength, wall squat, sitting and reaching, 6-minute walk, single-leg stance, and Y-balance were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of Tai Chi training. There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics and assessment parameters among the groups at baseline (p>0.05). Both BW-TC and TH-TC performed Tai Chi exercise program training lasting 12 weeks, with three sessions per week, each lasting 60 minutes intervention. The changes in mean scores for the sit-and-reach test were 3.11 cm and 4.52 cm, for the wall squat test were 27.56 s and 36.85 s, and for the 6-minute walk test were 22.93 m and 63.22 m, and Y-balance (p<0.05) significantly increased in both BW-TC and TH-TC groups, while the mean score of single-leg stance significantly decreased (p<0.05). Additionally, compared to the BW-TC group, the TH-TC group showed a significant increase in lower limb strength (13.89 s, p = 0.048) and the distance of the Y-balance test in the left posterior medial direction (4.04 cm, p = 0.031). BW-TC and TH-TC interventions effectively improved physical fitness in overweight university students. However, TH-TC showed superior results in lower limb strength improvement. Trial registration number: ChiCTR2200059427 (https://www.chictr.org.cn).

Effects of mind-body therapies on schizophrenia: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this meta-analysis is to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of different mind-body therapies in reducing the symptoms of schizophrenia. METHODS: A systematic search was performed using databases such as PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus. Randomized controlled trials that assessed the effects of mind-body therapies on patients with schizophrenia were included. The search covered the period between the inception of each database and November 17th, 2022. The methodological quality of the trials was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. A network meta-analysis was conducted to compare the effects of various mind-body therapies, including Yoga, Mindfulness, Tai Chi, Baduanjin, and Yijinjing. RESULTS: The analysis included 22 randomized controlled trials involving a total of 2064 subjects. The network meta-analysis revealed that Yoga and Mindfulness interventions were more effective than other mind-body therapies in reducing the symptoms of schizophrenia. Specifically, Yoga improved PANSS-positive symptom scores (SUCRA: 74.8 %) and PANSS-negative symptom scores (SUCRA: 80.4 %), whereas Mindfulness improved PANSS-positive symptom scores (SUCRA: 85.6 %). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study indicate that Yoga may be a promising intervention for the treatment of schizophrenia. However, the small sample size and the low quality of the included studies have limited the generalizability of our findings Therefore, this study must be understood with caution, and further investigation is warranted when more relevant studies emerge.