The effectiveness of Tai Chi for short-term cognitive function improvement in the early stages of dementia in the elderly: a systematic literature review

Abstract

Purpose: This systematic review examines intervention studies using Tai Chi in the early stages of dementia to determine the effectiveness of Tai Chi for the short-term improvement of cognitive functions for elderly persons with the disease.

Methods: A keyword search was done in PubMed/MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), and Cochrane Library databases using keywords such as Tai Chi, Dementia*, and cognition. A secondary search strategy consisting of a manual search in the reference lists of selected articles was also used.

Results: A total of nine studies were reviewed including six randomized controlled trials, two non-randomized controlled trials, and one non-randomized prospective study. The studies suggest Tai Chi has impacts on global cognitive functions, visuospatial skills, semantic memory, verbal learning/memory, and self-perception of memory. The effects of Tai Chi on overall cognition for people with mild cognitive impairment are comparable to those in control groups which engaged in exercise.

Conclusion: The studies reviewed affirm the potential of Tai Chi to improve short-term cognitive function in the elderly at the onset of dementia.

Keywords:

• behavioral intervention
• cognition
• dementia
• older adult
• Tai chi
• systematic review

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Supplementary material

Example search strategy

1. exp Tai Ji/.

2. (taiji or taichi or tai ji or tai chi).ab,kf,kw,ti.

3. or 2

4. exp Dementia/

5. exp Cognition Disorders/

6. exp Cognitive Therapy/

7. exp Cognition/

8. Neurocognitive disorders/

9. (cognition or cognitive or neurocognition or neurocognitive or dementia* or alzheimer*).ab,kf,kw,ti.

10. or 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9

11. and 10