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A 1-year randomized controlled trial comparing mind body exercise (Tai Chi) with stretching and toning exercise on cognitive function in older Chinese adults at risk of cognitive decline
Lam LC, Chau RC, Wong BM, Fung AW, Tam CW, Leung GT, Kwok TC, Leung TY et al.. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2012-05-11
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objectives To compare the effectiveness of Chinese-style mind-body exercise (24 forms simplified Tai Chi) versus stretching and toning exercise in the maintenance of cognitive abilities in Chinese elders at risk of cognitive decline. Design A 1-year single-blind cluster randomized controlled trial. Settings Community centers and residential homes for elders in Hong Kong. Participants A total of 389 subjects at risk of cognitive decline (Clinical Dementia Rating, CDR 0.5 or amnestic-MCI) participated in an exercise intervention program. Intervention A total of 171 subjects were trained with Tai Chi (Intervention [I]) and 218 were trained with stretching and toning exercise (Control [C]). Methods Cognitive and functional performance were assessed at the baseline, and at 5, 9, and 12 months. Data were analyzed using multilevel mixed models. Primary outcomes included progression to clinical dementia as diagnosed by DSM-IV criteria, and change of cognitive and functional scores. Secondary outcomes included postural balance measured by the Berg Balance Scale neuropsychiatric and mood symptoms measured by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory, and Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia. Results At 1 year, 92 (54%) and 169 (78%) participants of the I and C groups completed the intervention. Multilevel logistic regression with completers-only analyses controlled for baseline differences in education revealed that the I group had a trend for lower risk of developing dementia at 1 year (odds ratio 0.21, 95% CI 0.05-0.92, P = .04). The I group had better preservation of CDR sum of boxes scores than the C group in both intention-to-treat (P = .04) and completers-only analyses (P = .004). In completers-only analyses, the I group had greater improvement in delay recall (P = .05) and Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia scores (P = .02). Conclusion Regular exercise, especially mind-body exercise with integrated cognitive and motor coordination, may help with preservation of global ability in elders at risk of cognitive decline; however, logistics to promote long-term practice and optimize adherence needs to be revisited.
Key findings
- Objectives To compare the effectiveness of Chinese-style mind-body exercise (24 forms simplified Tai Chi) versus stretching and toning exercise in the maintenance of cognitive abilities in Chinese elders at risk of cognitive decline.
- Results At 1 year, 92 (54%) and 169 (78%) participants of the I and C groups completed the intervention.
- Multilevel logistic regression with completers-only analyses controlled for baseline differences in education revealed that the I group had a trend for lower risk of developing dementia at 1 year (odds ratio 0.21, 95% CI 0.05-0.92, P = .04).
Why it matters
This randomized controlled trial compared Tai Chi with stretching and toning exercise in older Chinese adults at risk of cognitive decline. The Tai Chi group had a trend for lower risk of progression to clinical dementia, but the study was limited by high dropout rates and the results were not definitive.
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Study details
- Study designrandomized controlled trial
- Participants389
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 65/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a randomised controlled trial. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of the American Medical Directors Association) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of the American Medical Directors Association: journal h-index 172 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomised controlled trial |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2012 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 389 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 2 / 2 | Randomised and blinded or placebo-controlled (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 244 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 15.2 citations a year over 16 year(s) since 2012 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 12.3× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 8 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 39 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Wai Man Chan: h-index 31 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Chinese University of Hong Kong: institution h-index 1,100 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 22579072) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 65 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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APA 7th
Lam, L. C., Chau, R. C., Wong, B. M., Fung, A. W., Tam, C. W., Leung, G. T., et al. (2012). A 1-year randomized controlled trial comparing mind body exercise (Tai Chi) with stretching and toning exercise on cognitive function in older Chinese adults at risk of cognitive decline. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2012.03.008
Vancouver
Lam LC, Chau RC, Wong BM, Fung AW, Tam CW, Leung GT, et al. A 1-year randomized controlled trial comparing mind body exercise (Tai Chi) with stretching and toning exercise on cognitive function in older Chinese adults at risk of cognitive decline. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. 2012. doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2012.03.008. PMID: 22579072.
BibTeX
@article{lam2012-22579072,
author = {Lam, L. C. and Chau, R. C. and Wong, B. M. and Fung, A. W. and Tam, C. W. and Leung, G. T. and Kwok, T. C. and Leung, T. Y. and others},
title = {{A 1-year randomized controlled trial comparing mind body exercise (Tai Chi) with stretching and toning exercise on cognitive function in older Chinese adults at risk of cognitive decline}},
journal = {Journal of the American Medical Directors Association},
year = {2012},
doi = {10.1016/j.jamda.2012.03.008},
pmid = {22579072},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2012.03.008}
}
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