Cognitive Effects of Tai Chi Chuan in Healthy Older Adults and Older Adults

NCT02270320 | Completed DMC

• 2 other identifiers: 201212161RINDNSC 102-2410-H-002 -213 -MY2
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 65
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Background: Promotion of cognitive functions of middle aged and older adults and prevention of dementia are important issues in the aging society. In recent years, studies have shown that Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) exercise can improve cognitive functions in healthy middle-aged and older adults, but not studies have investigated the neural mechanisms. Therefore, the purposes of this research project are: (1) to investigate the effects of TCC exercise intervention on improving cognitive functions and motor functions in healthy middle-aged and older adults; (2) to investigate the effects of TCC intervention on improving the integrity of frontostriatal fiber tracts, and areas and intensity of brain activation while performing a switching task in healthy middle-aged and older adults. Methods: This project used the assessor-blind and randomized control clinical trial design. A total of 60 healthy middle-aged and older adults will be recruited, randomly allocated to two groups: experimental and control groups. Experimental group will receive a 60-minute exercise program, three times per week for 12 weeks. Control group will receive a telephone consultation once every two weeks for 12 weeks. All participants will receive clinical neuropsychological tests, Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery tests, motor function tests, diffusion spectrum MR imaging, and functional MRI experiments before intervention, and at the end of intervention to realize the changes of cognitive function, motor function, integrity of neural tracts, and intensity and regions of functional activation while doing switching task of executive function in order to understand the cognitive effects and the neural mechanisms of TCC.

Conditions

Alteration of Cognitive Function

Keywords

Tai Chi Chuan; cognitive function; motor function; MRI

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (9)

• General cognitive function

  Cognitive score on Montreal Cognitive Assessment Taiwan version (MoCA) and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR).

  This outcome will be assessed at baseline and up to 12 weeks exercise or control intervention.

• Executive function

  Completed time (seconds) on Color Trail Test- Part 1\& 2, and number of errors from executive function task on Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB).

  This outcome will be assessed at baseline and up to 12 weeks exercise or control intervention.

• Motor strength

  Upper and lower limbs' muscle strength (kg) on handheld dynamometer, grip test, and to test lower limb strength by measuring the completed times in 30 seconds, chair rise test.

  This outcome will be assessed at baseline and up to 12 weeks exercise or control intervention.

• Flexibility

  Flexibility score (cm) on scratch test, chair sit and reach test.

  This outcome will be assessed at baseline and up to 12 weeks exercise or control intervention.

• Balance

  Balance time (seconds) on eyes opened one-leg stance test.

  This outcome will be assessed at baseline and up to 12 weeks exercise or control intervention.

• Coordination

  Coordination time (seconds) on four square step test and "Timed Up and Go" test

  This outcome will be assessed at baseline and up to 12 weeks exercise or control intervention.

• Endurance

  Walking distance (meters) on six-minute walking test.

  This outcome will be assessed at baseline and up to 12 weeks exercise or control intervention.

• Physical activity level

  Physical activity score on "Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly" questionnaire.

  This outcome will be assessed at baseline and up to 12 weeks exercise or control intervention.

• Memory function

  Memory score on Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB).

  This outcome will be assessed at baseline and up to 12 weeks exercise or control intervention.

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Brain functional activation

  This outcome will be assessed at baseline and up to 12 weeks exercise or control intervention.

• Brain structural integrity

  This outcome will be assessed at baseline and up to 12 weeks exercise or control intervention.

Other Outcomes (4)

• Handness

  This outcome will be assessed at baseline.

• Footness

  This outcome will be assessed at baseline.

• Emotion

  This outcome will be assessed at baseline.

Study Arms (2)

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Control group will receive a telephone consultation once every two weeks for 12 weeks.

Physical activity

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Experimental group will receive a 60-minute 24 forms Yang-style Tai Chi Chuan exercise program, three times per week for 12 weeks.

Behavioral: Physical activity

Interventions

Physical activity BEHAVIORAL

The training is 24 forms Yang-style Tai Chi Chuan exercise, which will perform a 60-minute exercise program, three times per week for 12 weeks.

Physical activity

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 50 Years - 85 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• age range between 50 - 85 years old.
• education level \> 6 years or can read and speak Chinese
• Montreal Cognitive Assessment Taiwan version (MoCA) score \>= 26
• Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) score = 0
• right dominant hand

You may not qualify if:

• any neurological diseases, ex stroke, Parkinson's disease, trauma, epilepsy
• cardiac disease, cardiac infarction, angina, uncontrolled hypertension
• spiritual disease, anxiety or depression (Geriatric Depression Scale 15-item short-form score \>= 8)
• Daily ability need helps (instrumental activities of daily living, IADL has one item score= 0 or 1)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Taiwan University Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

National Taiwan University Hospital

Taipei, Zhongzheng Dist, 100, Taiwan

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Exercise

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Study Officials

• Pei-Fang Tang, PhD

  School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy College of Medicine

  STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy College of Medicine

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 9, 2014
• First Posted: October 21, 2014
• Study Start: January 1, 2014
• Primary Completion: July 1, 2015
• Study Completion: August 1, 2015
• Last Updated: November 10, 2015

Record last verified: 2015-11

Locations

TW (1)