Tai Chi Chuan Alters Brain Functional Network Plasticity and Promotes Cognitive Flexibility

Abstract

Objective: This study used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the effects of 8 weeks of Tai Chi Chuan and general aerobic exercise on the topological parameters of brain functional networks, explored the advantages of Tai Chi Chuan for improving functional network plasticity and cognitive flexibility, and examined how changes in topological attributes of brain functional networks relate to cognitive flexibility.Methods: Thirty-six healthy adults were grouped into Tai Chi Chuan (Bafa Wubu of Tai Chi), general aerobic exercise (brisk walking), and control groups. All of the subjects underwent fMRI and behavioral assessment before and after the exercise intervention.Results: Tai Chi Chuan exercise significantly enhanced the clustering coefficient and local efficiency compared with general aerobic exercise. Regarding the nodal properties, Tai Chi Chuan significantly enhanced the nodal clustering coefficient of the bilateral olfactory cortex and left thalamus, significantly reduced the nodal clustering coefficient of the left inferior temporal gyrus, significantly improved the nodal efficiency of the right precuneus and bilateral posterior cingulate gyrus, and significantly improved the nodal local efficiency of the left thalamus and right olfactory cortex. Furthermore, the behavioral performance results demonstrated that cognitive flexibility was enhanced by Tai Chi Chuan. The change in the nodal clustering coefficient in the left thalamus induced by Tai Chi Chuan was a significant predictor of cognitive flexibility.Conclusion: These findings demonstrated that Tai Chi Chuan could promote brain functional specialization. Brain functional specialization enhanced by Tai Chi Chuan exercise was a predictor of greater cognitive flexibility.

The Potential Advantages of Tai Chi Chuan in Promoting Inhibitory Control and Spontaneous Neural Activity in Young Adults

“…Compared with TCC, BW is a relatively simple and repetitive movement with a single movement form. Our previous research on cognitive flexibility yielded similar results (Cui et al, 2021 ), suggesting that the improvement of cognitive function in young adults might require movement involving more cognitive operations. On the other hand, this finding may be related to the cycle of exercise, which lasted for 8 weeks in this experiment.…”

“…For facial perception, the exercise intervention in this study was set in the form of a group, which inevitably involved facial recognition and perception, which might also be one of the reasons for improving its effects. The enhancement of fALFF in the FFG.R by TCC might be caused by the elements of mindfulness and meditation contained in the TCC (Cui et al, 2021 ). Furthermore, it has been found that TCC can improve levels of mindfulness (Chen et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Functional imaging data pre-processing was implemented using GRETNA toolbox 2 based on the SPM software 3 , including the following conventional steps (Zou et al, 2008 ; Xu et al, 2016 ; Cui et al, 2021 ): (1) discarding the first 10 time points, allowing for signal equilibrium and adaptation of the participants to the scanning noise; (2) compensating for systematic slice-dependent time shifts; (3) correcting for head movement with rigid body translation and rotation parameters; (4) normalizing into Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) space using unified segmentation on T1-weighted images and re-slicing into 3-mm cubic voxels; (5) spatial smoothing with a 4-mm full-width at half-maximum Gaussian kernel; (6) removing the linear trend signal; and (7) regressing out nuisance variables, including head motion parameters (Friston-24), by averaging the white matter (WM) signal from the deep cerebral WM and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) signal-averaged from the ventricles to reduce non-neuronal contributions further. All the data used in this study satisfied the criteria for spatial movement in any direction (x, y or z) <2 mm translation or 2° rotation.…”

“…Data were acquired using a 3.0T MRI system (Siemens Magnetom Prisma; Erlangen, Germany) with a 64-channel head coil, which was located in the Beijing Normal University Imaging Center for Brain Research. Functional images were acquired using an echo-planar sequence sensitive to blood oxygenation level-dependent contrast (Xu et al, 2016;Cui et al, 2019Cui et al, , 2021: TR = 2,000 ms, TE = 30 ms; FA = 90 • , slice thickness = 3.5 mm, 33 axial slices, voxel size = 3.5 × 3.5 × 3.5 mm, FOV = 224 × 224 mm, 240 volumes. The participants were instructed to keep their eyes open without falling asleep and to move as little as possible.…”

“…On this basis, under the guidance of the mind, combined with breathing, the movements are correctly completed in a concentrated manner (Shaojun, 2019). During the entire movement process, individuals were asked to be intently guided by their minds and continue to be aware of their movements and respiratory rhythms so that their attention could be continuously improved (Cui et al, 2019(Cui et al, , 2021, with better and timely modifications of the information related to inhibitory control depending on the needs of the task, which resulted in improved inhibitory control. In addition, while completing the entire set of movements, the individual was required to suppress interference by irrelevant information and suppress the prepotent responses required for corrective actions, so that the person could respond using top-to-bottom processes that involve harmonious unification and actions related to learning and memory control processes while simultaneously engaging in exercise that frequently involves inhibitory control training.…”