Tai chi is a meditative exercise therapy based on Traditional Chinese Medicine. On this blog, we have repeatedly discussed this so-called alternative medicine (SCAM). It involves meditative movements rooted in both Traditional Chinese Medicine and the martial arts. Tai chi was originally aimed at enhancing mental and physical health; today it has become a popular alternative therapy.
This systematic review assessed the efficiency of tai chi (TC) in different populations’ cognitive function improvement. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from the beginning of coverage through October 17, 2020 in English and Chinese were retrieved from many indexing databases. Selected studies were graded according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Intervention 5.1.0. The outcome measures of cognitive function due to traditional TC intervention were obtained. Meta-analysis was conducted by using RevMan 5.4 software. We follow the PRISMA 2020 guidelines.
Thirty-three RCTs, with a total of 1808 participants, were included. The results showed that TC can progress global cognition when assessed in middle-aged as well as elderly patients suffering from cognitive and executive function impairment. The findings are as follows:
- Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale: mean difference (MD) = 3.23, 95% CI = 1.88-4.58, p < 0.00001,
- Mini-Mental State Exam: MD = 3.69, 95% CI = 0.31-7.08, p = 0.03,
- Trail Making Test-Part B: MD = -13.69, 95% CI = -21.64 to -5.74, p = 0.0007.
The memory function of older adults assessed by the Wechsler Memory Scale was as follows: MD = 23.32, 95% CI = 17.93-28.71, p < 0.00001. The executive function of college students evaluated by E-prime software through the Flanker test was as follows: MD = -16.32, 95% CI = -22.71 to -9.94, p < 0.00001.
The authors concluded that TC might have a positive effect on the improvement of cognitive function in middle-aged and elderly people with cognitive impairment as well as older adults and college students.
These days, I easily get irritated with such conclusions. That TC might improve cognitive function is obvious. If not, there would be no reason to do a review! But does it?
This paper does not provide an answer. All it shows is that TC trials are of lousy quality and that the observed effects might well be due not to TC itself by to non-specific effects.
6 Responses to Tai chi might improve cognitive function – but, then again, it might not
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“These days, I easily get irritated….”. Ah, see, personality changes….. frontal lobe dementia…..
hope not!
OT
Dear Edzard: Not sure where you would put it and if already discussed on the blog ?
Psychedelic therapy for depression seems promising, for example, with mushrooms traditionally used by shamans of all kinds and other ppl you probably would not like to hang around with:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2772630
@DanLucas
The study:https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2772630 you were referring to has a whopping 24 participants and they received TWO doses!!!!
I am on the edge of my seat for my GP to start handing out prescriptions for shrooms! Do you think I can fill the prescription with the friendly neighborhood shaman?
Please forgive me, but thats sounds like you’ve undertaken trials even on much smaller scale yourself which put you beyond doubt about efficacy and therefore you on the edge of you chair? Regarding the friendly neigborhood shaman, if you got the chance to introduce him to Edzard first, i would do so in order to make a informed decision, i strongly assume Edzard agrees that friendliness alone can be misleading.
You assume way too many things DanLucas. Perhaps you are the one who is experimenting with shrooms?
Professor never asked to be introduced to a shaman. On the other hand, you are the one who is giving weight to shamanist anecdotes. I will certainly introduce you to a shaman if I happed to find one. Too bad our Q shaman: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jake_Angeli is currently serving time.