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Effect of Long-term Tai Chi Training on Parkinson’s Disease: a 3.5-year Follow-up Study

Nov 28, 2023 #Older People

Tai Chi has shown beneficial effects on the motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD), but no study has reported the effect of long-term Tai Chi training.

A Chinese study reported by Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry in October examined whether long-term Tai Chi training can maintain improvement in patients with PD.

Cohorts of patients with Parkinson’s disease were built from January 2016: 143 of them in the Tai Chi training group and the other 187 patients with PD in a control group with no exercise. All subjects were assessed at baseline and in November 2019, October 2020 and June 2021. A logarithmic linear model was used to analyze rating scales for motor and non-motor symptoms.

The results showed that Tai Chi training reduced the annual changes in the deterioration of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale and delayed the need for increasing antiparkinsonian therapies. The annual increase in the levodopa equivalent daily dosage was significantly lower in the Tai Chi group. Moreover, patients benefited from Tai Chi training in motor symptoms, non-motor symptoms and complications.

Tai Chi training has a long-term beneficial effect on Parkinson’s Disease, with an improvement in motor and non-motor symptoms and reduced complications.

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By Tai Chi