Efficacy of traditional Chinese exercises on cognitive function in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Background Cognitive impairment is a significant health concern among older adults, highlighting the need for non-pharmacological interventions, such as mind–body exercises. However, a comprehensive synthesis of the effects of various traditional Chinese exercises (TCEs) on cognitive function in old...

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Publicado en:Age & Ageing Vol. 55; no. 6; pp. 1 - 13
Autores principales: Li, Bin, Yu, Lirong, Li, Na, Ye, Kaisy Xinhong, Guo, Jiuyu, Cao, Luwen, Shan, Jiatong, Li, Yecheng, Wang, Xiu, Lee, Tih-Shih
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Oxford University Press / USA Jun2026
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Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        atl: Efficacy of traditional Chinese exercises on cognitive function in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.
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          Li, Bin
          Yu, Lirong
          Li, Na
          Ye, Kaisy Xinhong
          Guo, Jiuyu
          Cao, Luwen
          Shan, Jiatong
          Li, Yecheng
          Wang, Xiu
          Lee, Tih-Shih
        affil:
          Department of Geriatrics, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 39 Shi-er-qiao Road, Chengdu 610072, Sichuan, China
          School of Nursing, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
          Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomacromolecules of Chinese Medicine, Jilin Ginseng Academy, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, Jilin, China
          Healthy Longevity Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
          Healthy Longevity Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporeCentre for Healthy Longevity, @AgeSingapore, National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
          Healthy Longevity Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporeCentre for Healthy Longevity, @AgeSingapore, National University Health System, Singapore, SingaporeDepartment of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
          College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, China
          Department of Neurology, Beijing Chuiyangliu Hospital, Beijing, China
          Neuroscience and Behavioural Disorders Programme, Duke-NUS Medical School, Neuroscience & Behavioural Disorders Programme, Singapore, Singapore
      su:
        Thailand
        United States
        China
        Executive function
        Attention
        Memory
        Stroke
        Cognition
        Psychosocial factors
        Old age
        Medical information storage & retrieval systems
        Research funding
        Mild cognitive impairment
        Exercise therapy
        Cognitive processing speed
        Frail elderly
        Treatment effectiveness
        Meta-analysis
        Descriptive statistics
        Parkinson's disease
        Systematic reviews
        MEDLINE
        Mind & body therapies
        Psychology of movement
        Cognition disorders
        Neuropsychological tests
        Medical databases
        Type 2 diabetes
        Confidence intervals
        Short-term memory
        Online information services
        Data analysis software
        Dementia
        Psychology information storage & retrieval systems
      sug:
        subj:
          Executive function
          Attention
          Memory
          Stroke
          Cognition
          Psychosocial factors
          Old age
          Thailand
          United States
          China
          Medical information storage & retrieval systems
          Research funding
          Mild cognitive impairment
          Exercise therapy
          Cognitive processing speed
          Frail elderly
          Treatment effectiveness
          Meta-analysis
          Descriptive statistics
          Parkinson's disease
          Systematic reviews
          MEDLINE
          Mind & body therapies
          Psychology of movement
          Cognition disorders
          Neuropsychological tests
          Medical databases
          Type 2 diabetes
          Confidence intervals
          Short-term memory
          Online information services
          Data analysis software
          Dementia
          Psychology information storage & retrieval systems
      keyword:
        aged
        cognition
        cognitive ability
        cognitive function
        cognitive impairment
        copyrightHolder:British Geriatrics Society
        copyrightYear:2026
        executive functioning
        exercise
        heterogeneity
        https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afag168
        inLanguage:en
        memory
        mental processes
        meta-analysis
        mini-mental state examination
        montreal cognitive assessment
        older adults
        outcome measures
        processing speed
        publisher:Oxford University Press
        randomised controlled trial
        randomization
        sameAs:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42258338/
        short-term memory
        systematic review
        traditional Chinese exercises
        aged
        cognition
        cognitive ability
        cognitive function
        cognitive impairment
        copyrightHolder:British Geriatrics Society
        copyrightYear:2026
        executive functioning
        exercise
        heterogeneity
        https://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afag168
        inLanguage:en
        memory
        mental processes
        meta-analysis
        mini-mental state examination
        montreal cognitive assessment
        older adults
        outcome measures
        processing speed
        publisher:Oxford University Press
        randomised controlled trial
        randomization
        sameAs:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42258338/
        short-term memory
        systematic review
        traditional Chinese exercises
      ab: Background Cognitive impairment is a significant health concern among older adults, highlighting the need for non-pharmacological interventions, such as mind–body exercises. However, a comprehensive synthesis of the effects of various traditional Chinese exercises (TCEs) on cognitive function in older adults is lacking. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted. Six databases were searched from inception to 2 May 2024 for studies examining the effects of TCEs on cognitive outcomes in adults aged 60 years and older. Studies were included if they were RCTs involving TCEs and reported outcome measures for global cognition, or individual cognitive domains. Results Twenty-eight RCTs with a total of 2297 participants were included. Meta-analysis revealed that TCEs led to significant improvements in global cognition: Montreal Cognitive Assessment [mean differences (MD) = 1.67; 95% confidence interval (CI): (1.20, 2.14)], Mini-Mental State Examination [MD = 0.76; 95% CI: (0.04, 1.48)]; executive function: Trail Making Test (B-A) [MD = −7.96; 95% CI: (−15.34, −0.59)], Category Fluency for Animals [MD = 2.96, 95% CI (2.08, 3.85)]; working memory: Digit Span-Backwards [MD = 0.48; 95% CI: (0.07, 0.90)]; processing speed: Digit Symbol Coding [MD = 4.16; 95% CI: (1.82, 6.50)]; memory function: Memory Quotient [MD = 13.13; 95% CI: (4.06, 22.20)], Auditory Verbal Learning Test: immediate recall [MD = 1.13; 95% CI: (0.07, 2.20)], short-term delayed recognition [MD = 0.80; 95% CI: (0.28, 1.32)] and long-term delayed recognition [MD = 1.38; 95% CI: (0.68, 2.09)]. Conclusions TCEs are effective in improving cognitive function in older adults, particularly in domains such as global cognition, executive function, working memory, processing speed and memory function. However, given the methodological limitations and heterogeneity of the included studies, these findings require confirmation in further large-scale, high-quality RCTs.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
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