Tai Chi Exercise Helps Boost Memory, Could Help Adults Counter Mild Cognitive Decline

Aging is often associated with serious changes in a person's cognitive abilities. Age-related cognitive decline can start as soon as an individual hits their 20s or 30s and becomes more obvious as they age. When this condition becomes sufficiently serious, it is highly associated with an increased risk of developing dementia.

There is plenty of evidence that exercise can help protect not just our bodies, but our brains. A new study reveals that a form of slow-moving martial art called tai chi can help slow cognitive decline and protect a person against dementia.

What is Tai Chi?

Tai chi refers to a practice that involves a series of slow gentle motions and physical postures, a meditative state of mind, and controlled breathing. It originated as an ancient martial art in China but has become famous for promoting health and overall well-being.

Tai chi has a lot of physical and emotional benefits, including decreased anxiety and depression. It may also help manage symptoms of some chronic diseases like fibromyalgia, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

There are five different styles of tai chi, and each of them can be modified according to individual goals and personal fitness levels. All styles of tai chi include continuous movement from one pose to the next.

Tai chi is sometimes confused with yoga. Although both are forms of exercise that involve medication and deep breathing, tai chi emphasizes fluid movement and has roots in Chinese culture. Meanwhile, yoga focuses on posing and originated in Northern India.

Benefits of Tai Chi Training

A randomized controlled study supported by the National Institute on Aging investigated the effectiveness of cognitively enhanced tai chi training on the cognition and dual-task performance of older adults with mild cognitive impairment. It involved 300 adults in their mid-70s who reported that their memory was not as good as it used to be.

The participants took the Montreal Cognitive Assessment to measure their cognitive function. At the start of the study, the average score of participants was 25, while the standard score was 26-30. A participant who scores between 18 and 25 is considered to have mild impairment which means that they do not have dementia, but their memory is not as sharp as it used to be. They are also the group who may need to work harder to maintain daily activities.

Some participants were asked to practice a simplified tai chi called Tai Ji Quan twice weekly for about six months. The study found that these people improved their scores by 1.5 points. Although this increase may not sound like a lot, the authors believe it gives one three extra years. According to Dr. Elizabeth Eckstrom, the results suggest that doing tai chi two to three days a week on a routine basis will allow a person to get extra years before hitting cognitive decline into dementia.

Eckstrom and her colleagues also tested Cognitively Enhanced Tai Ji Quan, a more rigorous type of tai chi where extra challenges are added. They discovered that the participants who practiced this training improved their scores by about 3 points, equivalent to six extra years of cognitive function.