Table 1.
Characteristics of the included Tai Chi studies on the cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults.
| Studies/ Locations |
Study Design | Study Population | Tai Chi Style | Intervention Modality | Total Tai Chi Dose | Control Group | Cognitive Outcome Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chu et al. 2014 [20] Philippines |
Cross-sectional | I: n = 30 I (mean age): 69.30 C: n = 30 C (mean age): 64.60 No reported cognitive impairment |
Not Specified | At least 30 min a day, 3 times/week for 6 months | 2160 min | No exercise | MMSE 1 MoCA 2 |
| Hung et al. 2013 [24] Taiwan |
Quasi experimental | I: n = 41 I (mean age): 76.61 C: n = 41 C (mean age): 76.29 No cognitive impairment |
Not Specified | 90 min/session 3 times/week for 12 weeks * including warm up and cool down |
1440 min | No exercise | MMSE 1 |
| Kasai et al. 2010 [22] Brazil |
Non-randomized experimental | I: n = 13 I (mean age): 73.54 C: n = 13 C (mean age): 75.54 Mild Cognitive Impairment |
Yang-style | 60 min/session 2 times/week for 13 weeks * including warm up and cool down |
1560 min * including warm up and cool down | No exercise | RBMT 3 SMC 4 DSF 5 DSB 6 |
| Lu et al. 2013 [25] Hong Kong |
Cross-sectional | I: n = 28 I (mean age): 73.60 C: n = 30 C (mean age): 72.40 No cognitive impairment |
Not Specified | Minimum weekly 1.5 h practice for 3 years | 14,040 min | No exercise | Auditory Stroop Test Center of Pressure Path (mm)/Area (cm2) |
| Lu et al. 2016 [6] Hong Kong |
RCT | I: n = 13 I (mean age): 72.80 C: n = 14 C (mean age): 67.30 No cognitive impairment |
Yang style | 60 min/session 3 times/week for 16 weeks |
2880 min | No exercise, attended weekly series of music, English, handicrafts and fall prevention classes along with social gatherings |
Auditory Stroop Test Center of Pressure Path (mm)/Area (cm2) Time to Complete Step-Down Performance |
| Man et al. 2010 [15] Hong Kong |
Cross-sectional | I: n = 42 I (mean age): 68.90 C: n = 44 C (mean age): 68.20 No cognitive impairment |
Ng style | at least 45 min per session, 3 times/week for 3 years | 21060 min | No exercise | HKLLT 7 |
| Mortimer et al. 2012 [16] China |
RCT | I: n = 29 I (mean age): 67.3 C: n = 24 C2: n = 27 C (mean age): 68.2 C2 (mean age): 67.90 No cognitive impairment |
Not Specified | 20 min/session 3 times/week for 40 weeks |
2400 min | C: No exercise C2: Social interaction |
Mattis Dementia Rating Scale BNT 8 Clock Drawing Test Trail Making Test WAIS-R 9 Similarities Test Category Verbal Fluency Test Auditory Verbal Learning Test Stroop Test Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Bell Cancellation Test WAIS-R 9 Digit Span |
| Nguyen et al. 2012 [26] Vietnam |
RCT | I: n = 48 I (mean age): 69.32 C: n = 48 C (mean age): 68.73 No cognitive impairment |
24-form | 30 min/session 2 times/week for 24 weeks |
1440 min | No exercise | Trail Making Test |
| Orozco Calderon et al. 2016 [27] Mexico |
Cross-sectional | I: n = 17 I (mean age): 70.65 C: n = 15 C (mean age): 67.40 No reported cognitive impairment |
Yang-style | 4 h/week for 4.5 years | Not specified | No exercise | COGNISTAT Test |
| Overton-McCoy 2010 [21] USA |
Cross-sectional | I: n = 75 I (mean age): 70.80 C: n = 75 C (mean age): 71.31 No cognitive impairment |
Not Specified | 1–2 times per week; average of 60 min per week for a minimum of one month | Not specified | No exercise | MMSE 1 15-item BNT 8 15-item BNT 8 Latency Score |
| Sun et al. 2015 [28] China |
RCT | I: n = 72 I (mean age): 68.30 C n = 66 C (mean age): 70.10 No cognitive impairment |
24-form Yang-style |
60 min/session 2 times/week for 6 months * including warm up and cool down |
3120 min * including warm up and cool down |
No exercise | MMSE 1 FAB 10 |
| Sungkarat et al. 2017 [23] Thailand |
RCT | I: n = 33 I (mean age): 68.3 C: n = 33 C (mean age): 67.5 Mild Cognitive Impairment |
10-form | 30 min/session 3 times/week for 15 weeks |
1350 min | Health education related to cognitive and fall prevention | Logical Memory Delayed Recall Score; DSF 5 DSB 6 Block Design Score Trail Making Test Hand Reaction Time |
| Tao et al. 2016 [7] China |
RCT | I: n = 21 I (mean age): 62.38 C: n = 25 C (mean age): 59.76 No cognitive impairment |
24-form Yang-style |
30 min/session 5 times/week for 12 weeks |
1800 min | Health education | Weschler Memory Scale—Chinese Revision |
| Taylor-Piliae et al. 2010 [8] USA |
RCT | I: n = 37 I (mean age): 70.60 C: n = 56 C (mean age): 68.20 No reported cognitive impairment |
12 short-form Yang-style |
Daily practice encouraged for 6 months | Not specified | Health education | Animal-Naming Test DSF 5 DSB 6 |
| Tsang et al. 2013 [29] Hong Kong |
Cross-sectional | I: n = 31 I (mean age): 70.30 C: n = 30 C (mean age): 72.30 No cognitive impairment |
Not Specified | Minimum 90 min/week for 3 years | 14,040 min | No exercise | EMG 11 Reaction Time EMG 11 Movement Time End-Point Accuracy Wrong Movement |
| Varghese et al. 2016 [30] USA |
Cross-sectional | I: n = 10 I (mean age): 65.90 C: n = 10 C (mean age): 66.40 No cognitive impairment |
Not Specified | Minimum 100 h in past year | Not specified | No exercise | Reaction Time Maximal Excursion Value (%) Cognitive Score |
Note: I: Intervention group (Tai Chi group); C: Control group; C2: Second control group; RCT: Randomized Controlled Trail; 1 Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE); 2 Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA); 3 Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test (RBMT); 4 Subjective Memory Complaint Scale (SMC); 5 Digit Span Forward (DSF); 6 Digit Span Backward (DSB); 7 Hong Kong List Learning Test (HKLLT); 8 Boston Naming Test (BNT); 9 Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R); 10 Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB); 11 Electromyographic (EMG).