News on October 25,A recent study by Chen Shengdi's team at Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine shows that practicing Tai Chi may suppress the symptoms and complications of Parkinson's disease for several years.It is reported that Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease and the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the world, second only to Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
The research team assessed participants' overall symptoms, movement and balance on three validated scales, and the results showed that the Tai Chi group had slower disease progression at all monitoring time points. The number of patients in the control group who required increased medication was also significantly higher than that in the Tai Chi group. The control group was 83.5% in 2019 and 96% in 2020, while the Tai Chi group was 71% and 87.5% respectively.
The study results also showed that the complication rates in the Tai Chi group were significantly lower than those in the control group - movement disorders 1.4% vs. 7.5%, dystonia 0% vs. 1.6%, hallucinations 0% vs. 2%, mild cognitive impairment 3% vs. 10%, and restless legs syndrome 7% vs. 15.5%.
This study shows that Tai Chi has long-term beneficial effects on Parkinson's disease,Tai Chi has the potential to improve motor and non-motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease, especially gait, balance, autonomic symptoms and cognitive abilities.
Parkinson's disease gradually worsens over time, causing disability and affecting quality of life. Long-term beneficial effects on Parkinson's disease can extend the time without disability, thereby improving patients' quality of life, reducing the burden on caregivers, and reducing drug use.
It should be noted thatThis was an observational study, so a cause-and-effect relationship between Tai Chi and improvements in Parkinson's disease cannot be established.The researchers said the study had a relatively small number of participants and they were not randomly assigned to the Tai Chi group and the control group.