Effects of Exergaming-Based Tai Chi on Cognitive Function and Dual-Task Gait Performance in Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Control Trial

Abstract

BackgroundDeclined cognitive function interferes with dual-task walking ability and may result in falls in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The mind-body exercise, Tai Chi (TC), improves cognition and dual-task ability. Exergaming is low-cost, safe, highly scalable, and feasible. Whether the effects of exergaming-based TC is beneficial than traditional TC has not been investigated yet.ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to investigate effects of exergaming-based TC on cognitive function and dual-task walking among older adults with MCI.MethodsFifty patients with MCI were randomly assigned to an exergaming-based TC (EXER-TC) group, a traditional TC (TC) group, or a control group. The EXER-TC and TC groups received 36 training sessions (three, 50-min sessions per week) during a 12-week period. The control group received no intervention and were instructed to maintain their usual daily physical activities. The outcome variables measured included those related to cognitive function, dual-task cost (DTC), and gait performance.ResultsThe EXER-TC and TC groups performed better than the control group on the Chinese version of the Stroop Color and Word Test, the Trail Making Test Parts A and B, the one-back test, gait speed, and DTC of gait speed in cognitive dual-task conditions after training. However, there were no significant differences between the EXER-TC and TC groups. Compared with the control group, only the EXER-TC group experienced beneficial effects for the Montreal Cognitive Assessment.ConclusionEXER-TC was comparable to traditional TC for enhancement of dual-task gait performance and executive function. These results suggested that the EXER-TC approach has potential therapeutic use in older adults with MCI.

The effects of Baduanjin exercise vs. brisk walking on physical fitness and cognition in middle-aged patients with schizophrenia: A randomized controlled trial

“…At the follow-up assessment, the Baduanjin group improved in both cognitive and motor dual-task performance. Previous research reported that mind-body exercise, such Tai Chi, might have a positive effect on dual-task performance in older adults (62)(63)(64). In line with previous research on older adults, our study revealed that Baduanjin might improve dual-task performance in middle-aged patients with schizophrenia.…”

Mitigating effects and mechanisms of Tai Chi on mild cognitive impairment in the elderly

“…Apart from studies in the meta-analysis, an individual trial showed that 6 months of 10-form Tai Chi training (three times per week) was effective in improving the mental switching component of executive function in older adults with amnestic MCI (Sungkarat et al, 2018 ). The beneficial effects on executive function in exergaming-based Tai Chi group (modified Yang style), traditional Tai Chi group (simplified 24-form Yang style), and untrained controls were compared (Liu et al, 2022 ). During the Tai Chi exergames, participants imitated a virtually-presented Tai Chi instructor and made real-time adjustments in response to immediate feedback.…”

“…In addition to field training, the effects of Tai Chi online courses on the risk of falls have been explored during the COVID-19 pandemic. Liu et al ( 2022 ) found that the exergaming-based Yang-style Tai Chi and traditional Yang-style Tai Chi groups had comparable improvements in gait performance and cognitive-dual-task cost, both of which were better than those of the untrained control group. Inconsistently, Li et al ( 2021 ) found that though the home-based Tai Chi group performed better on tests of balance, chair stands, and gait performance than the stretching group, no significant reduction in falls (incidence rate ratio: 0.58; 95% CI: 0.32, 1.03) was observed possibly because of the small sample size ( N = 15 for each group).…”

Effects of traditional Chinese mind–body exercises on older adults with cognitive impairment: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…A total of 10 studies (9,22,23,(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31) with 591 patients assessed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores after treatment. High significant heterogeneity was found among these studies (I 2 = 83%), after heterogeneity tests we find that an article is a source of heterogeneity (30), heterogeneity was reduced after remove this article (I 2 = 14%), then fixed-effects model was used. The results showed that the impact of TCEs on cognitive function (MoCA) in elderly with cognitive impairment is statistically significant [MD = 2.50, 95% CI (2.03, 2.97), p < 0.00001].…”