Brain Function in Middle-Aged Hong Chuan Tai Chi Players

Abstract Background: Tai Chi has been proved as an effective strategy to improve cognitive function while the mechanism remains unclear. This cross-sectional study aimed to compare the brain functional connection of prefrontal cortex (PFC), motor cortex (MC) and occipital cortex (OC) in middle-aged Tai Chi practitioners and Tai Chi-naïve controls. Methods: 18 Hong chuan Tai Chi practitioners (age:55.78±2.64y) and 22 demographically matched healthy Tai Chi-naïve controls (age:54.69±3.10y) were recruited in this study. Global cognition was measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA), and the functional connection between PFC, MC and OC in five frequency intervals (I, 0.6-2Hz; II, 0.145-0.6Hz; III, 0.052-0.145Hz; IV, 0.021-0.052Hz; V, 0.0095-0.021Hz) was analyzed by wavelet phase coherence (WPCO). The changes in cerebral oxygenation (Δ[HbO2]) were measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Continuous recordings of NIRS signals were obtained from the left and right prefrontal cortex (PFC), motor cortex (MC) and occipital cortex (OC) in resting state. Results: Compared with age-matched Tai Chi-naïve controls, Hong chuan Tai Chi practitioners had better global cognition and showed higher functional connection levels between left and right PFC, MC, OC in intervals I, III, VI and V in resting state. Conclusion: This study showed that middle-aged Hong chuan Tai Chi practitioners had higher functional connection between PFC, MC and OC, as well as the coordination of left and right brain in resting state, which maybe the contributing factors to higher global cognition.