The Effect of Tai Chi Chuan in Older Adults

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Healthy Aging; Motor Learning; Cognitive Function
• Interventions: Other: Tai Chi Chuan trainings

• Registration Number: NCT04690244
• Lead Sponsor: Lithuanian Sports University

Brief Summary

30 healthy older participants were enrolled in the study and were randomly classified into two groups. In the experimental group (n = 15) participants received 10-week Tai Chi Chuan practice intervention, in the control group (n=15) participants were asked do not change their living habits in 10 weeks. All participants had no practice Tai Chi Chuan before.

Detailed Description

All participants had to proceed with familiarization with cognitive function tests before all measurements and evaluation. Study protocol began in the early morning after overnight fasting (10.7 ± 4.7 h). Firstly, participants were asked to lay in the supine position for 15 minutes in rest to measure resting heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) during the last 10 minutes and blood pressure afterward. Subsequently, participants completed PSS-10 and HADS questionnaires, and then a venous blood sample was taken for BDNF and irisin concentrations measurements. Then measurements of cognitive functions and motor learning were performed. After baseline assessments, participants were randomized to the experimental and control groups. The experimental group subjects (n=15; 13 women) participated in 10 weeks Tai Chi practice. In the control group, participants (n=15; 13 women) were instructed do not to engage in any additional sports practice. All tests and measurements were repeated after 10 weeks in the same order as it was at the beginning of the study.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2020-06-29
• Primary Completion: 2020-09-10
• Study Completion: 2020-09-10
• Status Verified: 2020-12
• Study First Submitted: 2020-12-21
• Study First Submitted QC: 2020-12-26
• Last Update Submitted: 2020-12-26
• Study First Posted: 2020-12-30
• Last Update Posted: 2020-12-30

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 30

Inclusion Criteria

• age from 60 years old;
• voluntary participation in the study;
• does not have chronic diseases or injuries that may affect physical activity,
• does not have physical and mental disorders;
• has no hearing impairment;
• does not smoke;
• does not use psychotropic substances;
• pulse from 40 to 100 beats per minute at rest;
• impaired or corrected vision;
• blood pressure up to 139/89 mmHg at rest;
• never had practice of Tai Chi Chuan

Exclusion Criteria

• persons suffering from: mental, oncological, cardiovascular, skeletal, muscular, respiratory disorders or diseases after physical exhaustion will not be invited to the study;
• after surgery; injuries (in last 3 years);
• contraindications to physical activity.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Tai Chi Chuan group	Tai Chi Chuan trainings	Fifteen healthy elderly subjects participated in 10 weeks of Tai Chi Chuan practice. Inclusion criteria were: * aged 60 years and older; * sedentary behavior for at least 6 months; * no previous experience of Tai Chi Chuan practice; * good physical health determined by Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire as - confirmed by medical history; * no cognitive impairments determined by baseline Mini-Mental State Examination score of ≥ 45. All participants were asked to not perform any sports activities while the research was ongoing.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Balance Evaluation	10 weeks	Balance measurement will be measured on a Kistler platform. The subjects' balance study evaluated static posturography using a force plate and computer equipment to record signals (KISTLER, Switzerland, Slimline System 9286). During the study, the subject stands on the force plate in four different positions.
Heart Rate Variability	10 weeks	R-R intervals were recorded using a Polar H7 sensor with a chest strap (Kempele, Finland) in laying position, in rest.
Cognitive Function Performance Evaluation	10 weeks	The Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics computer program, which assesses a person's neuropsychological condition, will be used to assess cognitive function indicators. Evaluates areas of cognition that are related to brain executive function. The following tests will be used in the study: Simple reaction time, Two choice reaction time, Memory search, Mathematical processing, Code substitution - learning, Code substitution - delayed, Go / No-Go, Matching grids.
Perceived Stress Scale - PSS-10	10 weeks	The purpose of this scale is to assess the degree of stress in subjects' lives. It consists of questions about the frequency of feeling and thoughts during the past time period. Potential answers: 0-never; 1-almost never; 2-sometimes; 3-fairly often and 4-very often. The scores are obtained by reversing the scores on the four positive items:for example, 0=4, 1=3, 2=2, etc. and then summing across all items. Scores for the 10-item form range from 0 to 40,with higher scores indicating greater perceived stress
Muscle circulatory BDNF Measurement	10 weeks	Venous blood samples from the median antecubital vein were collected in 5 ml vacuum tubes with a gel separator and was separated by centrifugation (15 min at 1200g) to make blood serum. Samples were aliquoted and stored at -20°C until analysis. The serum concentration of Human Free BDNF was measured using an enzyme-linked immunoassay kit(R\&D Systems, Minneapolis, USA).
Motor Learning Evaluation	10 weeks	The reaction time and velocity study will be measured with a DPA-1 analyzer. The DPA-1 device allows to study the reaction time, dynamic and kinematic characteristics of the movements.
Blood Pressure	10 weeks	Resting blood pressure was measured using digital electronic blood pressure monitor (Microlife BP A100, Widnau, Switzerland)
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)	10 weeks	To determine the level of anxiety and depression of subjects was used HADS scale. The scale consists of totally 14questions with the answers valued from 0 to 3. Half of questions addressed to estimate anxiety and rest - depression.The total scoring and conclusion for the both categories of questions: 0-7 = Normal; 8-10 = Borderline abnormal(borderline case); 11-21 = Abnormal (case)
Circulating Irisin Measurement	10 weeks	Venous blood samples from the median antecubital vein were collected in 5 ml vacuum tubes with a gel separator and was separated by centrifugation (15 min at 1200g) to make blood serum. Samples were aliquoted and stored at -80°C until analysis. The serum concentration of Irisin was measured using a competitive ELISA, immobilized antigen immunoassay kit (BioVendor R\&D Systems, Brno, Czech Republic).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Weight Measurment	10 weeks	Body weight was measured by Tanita Body Composition Analyzer TBF-300 (Japan).
Height Measurement	10 weeks	The height was measured by a centimeter strip.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Lithuanian Sports University; 🇱🇹 Kaunas, Lithuania